PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN THE REDD IMPLEMENTATION: Vietnam’s experience towards REDD readiness and country initiatives Vietnam’s experience towards REDD readiness and country initiatives Msc. Bui Chi Kien Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (MARD)‏

Overview 1. Vietnam’s point of view on the REDD implementation 2. Country’s experience 3. Prospects and Challenges

I. Vietnam’s point of view on the REDD implementation

 Forest cover has changed dramatically and dynamically over the time and space, especially from the country reunification in 1975 up to date;  Forest cover increased from 28% (1995) to 38.7% (2008) BUT the changes are not always in progressive and the same in all regions;  Forest expansion due to afforestation with fast growing species, short rotation, one canopy layer and low carbon stock;  Forest quality is continuously degraded: Area of primary forest reduced from 3.84 (1990) – 0.84 mill ha (2005) or ha/year; 1.1 Dynamics of Forests in Vietnam

Forest cover changes

 Vietnam is identified as one of 5 most severe affected by Climate change;  Not only adaptation but also appropriate mitigation actions will be taken;  National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change (NTP-RCC) was approved in Dec Estimated costs for the period from : $1,2 Bill;  MARD’s Action Plan Framework (APF) to respond to CC; 1.2 Points of View

 REDD is one of the activities in the NTP-RCC and MARD’s APF to respond to CC;  REDD is one of key sub-programs of the Sustainable Forest Management Program of the NFDS;  REDD implementation contributes to achievement of the objectives of current environment and socio-economic development strategies, policies;  Therefore, National REDD Strategy should be designed to be consistent with and to support to archive the Goals of the NTP-RCC, APF, NFDS and other ongoing progs; 1.2 Point of view

 Based on voluntary basis and national circumstances;  Country-led, national-based (programmatic) approach to avoid in-country leakage BUT also accepts project–based option (learning by doing);  Requires active participation of various stakeholders;  Takes long time and requires substantial investment of the GoV and support from donor community;  A combination of market-based and traditional mechanisms; 1.2 Point of view

 REDD implementation should be well-organized in collaborative, coordinated, transparent and effective fashion;  Maximal utilization of the comparative advantages of the International Development Agencies and experts;  Promotes a close cooperation with countries in the Lower Mekong Basin and ASEAN. 1.2 Point of view

II. Vietnam’s experience

 Feb. 2008: Submitted the country view on REDD methodology and implementation process to the UNFCCC Secs;  March 2009: The NJP was approved by the UN-REDD Policy Board Meeting in Panama; the DPO will be approved by Prime Minister within few weeks; 2.1 Joined to International Initiatives

 Established:  the National Steering Committee (MONRE, MARD, other line ministries) to respond to CC and chaired by Prime Minister;  MARD’s SC committee for APF chaired by Minister;  Ad-hoc REDD Technical Working Group;  CC Network among Gov and NGOs chaired by CARE;  CC- Public and private partnership (Ford Foundation); 2.2 Institutional arrangement

 Organized Donor coordination meetings;  Prepared an Institutional donors’ matrix to mobilize the support from potential partners and to avoid overlap and conflicts;  Discussed with ongoing foreign-supported projects: GTZ SFM Prog, ADB-FLITCH, Finland, etc.;  Established Ambassadors’ Climate change Forum;  Created the INGOs Climate change Network chaired by Care International; 2.3 Donors’ coordination

 Organized numerous national and regional technical training workshops;  Japan funded studies on “Application in C-stock estimation and its change” and “Screening potential land for CDM and REDD in Vietnam”;  CC- Public and private partnership (Ford Foundation);  Public awareness raising: mass media and e-Envi forums;  Improved international negotiation skills for focal point and CC delegates; 2.4 Capacity building

2.5 Preparation for National REDD Prog

Why do we need REDD Strategy?  REDD is new and complex, its implementation requires substantial investment from GoV and donors;  Requires closed sectoral and multi-lateral cooperation;  NRS is a basic legal framework to ensure the REDD implementation REDD projects and activities in collaborative, coordinated, transparent and effective manner; and  Be designed to be consistent with and supplemented to the on-going environmental protection and socio-economic development strategies and policies in the participating country

Proposed Components of the National REDD Strategy R eference scenario formulation (N &R levels) D evelopment of participatory C-stock monitoring, assessment, reporting and verification system D esign of payment system A ssessment of benefits and impacts D esign roadmap, institutional arrangement and mgt. system (Report, review and evaluate the performance) E ngagement with stakeholders at a various levels (stakeholder dialogues)‏ C apacity building for relevant stakeholders

III. Prospect and Challenges

 Political attention and support;  Alignment of the interests of multiple constituencies, ongoing programs and strategies: i.e. NTP-RCC, NFDS, PRS, PES;  Supplementary to current national PES policy: REDD= carbon sequestration = one of Envi services of the forests;  Brings co-benefits: emissions reductions + Improved biodiversity conservation + Improved local livelihoods;  Improved forest governance and capacity of the forest administration systems; 3.1 Prospect

3.2 Constraints and Challenges  REDD requires a new level of forest governance – re-framing forest policy in CC context and capacity building;  Integration and coordination among national agencies, progs and among donors;  Need for “REDD readiness”:  governance mechanisms and institutional capacity To decide on strategy To measure and monitor change To transfer payments: transparency and equity  Need to manage risks and trade-offs: safeguard policies;  Need to establish legitimacy Inclusive process Equitable outcomes

3.2 Constraints and Challenges  International level: i) REDD is new and complex – still in debate and, ii) on-going development of governing mechanisms;  Diverse definitions and classification systems on forest and deforestation;  Measurement of forest degradation;  Independent data sources?  Leakage: project-based vs programmatic approach, ambition and existing capacity;  Permanence: Emissions reductions from forestry can be undone

Challenges  Insufficient capacity: in collecting, analyzing, synthesizing and reporting information, especially at local levels;  Lack of close coordination: data discrepancies & data sharing;  Insufficient information: incomplete and outdated;  Insufficient volume of finance to shift drivers of deforestation and degradation;

Thank you very much for your attention!