REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation

This report documents a capacity-building workshop held in Douala, Cameroon, from May 10–12, 2011, focused on transitioning REDD+ from international negotiation to national implementation. The event, delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforestry Centre (ASB-ICRAF), brought together over 55 participants from 17 African countries to discuss safeguards, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), the role of agriculture as a driver of deforestation, and financing mechanisms.

• The workshop identified several critical requirements for effective REDD+ safeguard information systems, emphasizing that they must be cost-effective and based on broad stakeholder participation to measure impacts. Essential components include arrangements for benefits sharing, dispute resolution mechanisms, and clear land tenure arrangements. Participants suggested that existing frameworks, such as Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), forest certification, and REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards, should inform these negotiations.
• For Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), the report stresses the need for African countries to build on domestic expertise and appoint national experts to UNFCCC technical groups. A key priority is the 'nested approach,' which involves scaling up MRV from project or subnational levels to the national level to avoid bureaucratic backlogs similar to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Additionally, the involvement of local communities and indigenous peoples, including the use of traditional knowledge, is deemed essential for accurate MRV programs.
• Regarding agriculture, the workshop concluded that it should not be integrated into REDD+ at this time but should instead be addressed as a primary driver of deforestation. Participants advocated for a separate programme of work under the UNFCCC—potentially via the SBSTA, SBI, or AWG-LCA—that balances mitigation with adaptation, as adaptation is of particular importance for African food security and livelihoods.
• The report highlights significant concerns regarding REDD+ financing, noting that funding from multilateral and bilateral institutions must be transparent, equitable, and accessible. There is a specific call for financing to prioritize the engagement of national experts and local domestic consultants over external consultants to build internal capacity.
• The workshop emphasized that for REDD+ to move beyond a 'do no harm' approach and create multiple benefits, equitable benefits sharing is essential. This requires clarifying property rights over carbon and land tenure. Participants argued that forests provide value beyond carbon—such as biodiversity and water—which should be used to leverage higher credit prices and additional funding.
• The report identifies a critical need for technology transfer and capacity building in specific technical areas to support implementation. These include geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, forest assessments, and the monitoring of forest cover change.

APA

Bernard, F., Murphy, D., & Boyle, J. (2011). REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_douala_2011_workshop_report.pdf

Chicago

Bernard, Florence, Deborah Murphy, and Jessica Boyle. REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_douala_2011_workshop_report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bernard |first1=Florence |last2=Murphy |first2=Deborah |last3=Boyle |first3=Jessica |title=REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_douala_2011_workshop_report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bernard2011redd, author = {Bernard, Florence and Murphy, Deborah and Boyle, Jessica}, title = {{REDD+ after Cancun: Moving from negotiation to implementation}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_douala_2011_workshop_report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }