Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers: Lessons learned

This 2012 report summarizes a task force meeting in Durban, South Africa, aimed at identifying lessons learned for REDD+ policy capacity in developing countries. The discussions prioritized three 'pillars'—Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), safeguards, and financing—as the primary areas for research and policy development. The report emphasizes the need for country-driven processes, effective communication with local communities, and the integration of national experiences (such as those from Brazil, Kenya, and Indonesia) to inform international negotiations and national implementation.

• Measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), safeguards, and financing are identified as the three primary "pillars" of REDD+ that require focused research and policy development to bridge gaps between international negotiations and all levels of research.
• Regarding MRV, the development of forest reference levels (RLs) and reference emission levels (RELs) must be flexible and tailored to national circumstances. There is a specific need for assistance in scaling up subnational and project-level RLs to the national level, with a recommendation to learn from the methodologies of early-mover countries.
• Safeguard implementation and reporting can be informed by existing national and international experiences, such as community forest management, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), and Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). Experts noted that Brazil and Ecuador are leaders in safeguards, while Ethiopia has used participatory forest management (PFM) to inform REDD+ guidelines.
• Financing is a critical obstacle in REDD negotiations and a primary determinant for transitioning to results-based processes. There is an ongoing need to clarify the modalities for Phase II (Capacity building, Piloting) and Phase III (Results and Performance-based REDD+), specifically regarding the role of market versus non-market mechanisms and how "results" are measured.
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement are essential for the success of REDD+. Capacity building is required to translate complex international terms like "carbon stocks" and "co-benefits" into language that resonates with local communities to make the process "real" and to turn international agreements into local policies.
• The document emphasizes that REDD+ must be a country-driven process reflecting national circumstances, as no "one size fits all" solution exists. For example, the Democratic Republic of Congo is developing a national forest monitoring system based on Brazilian experience, and Indonesia's experience with over 40 projects highlights the need for better coordination to ensure lasting local capacity.
• Addressing the drivers of deforestation, particularly the expansion of the agricultural frontier, is critical for successful implementation. The Kasigau Wildlife Corridor Project in Kenya is cited as an example of a project addressing drivers such as charcoal and agricultural expansion, which could potentially be scaled to the country level.

APA

Boyle, J. (2012). Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers: Lessons learned. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_policy_capactity_task_force_meeting.pdf

Chicago

Boyle, Jessica. Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers: Lessons learned. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_policy_capactity_task_force_meeting.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boyle |first1=Jessica |title=Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers: Lessons learned |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=January 2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_policy_capactity_task_force_meeting.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boyle2012building, author = {Boyle, Jessica}, title = {{Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers: Lessons learned}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_policy_capactity_task_force_meeting.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }