Strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+

The document examines the critical role of MRV in the successful implementation of REDD+, highlighting the need for standardized forest definitions and robust Reference Emission Levels (RELs). It discusses the 'nested approach' to link subnational and national monitoring, the trade-offs between cost and accuracy across IPCC reporting tiers, and the institutional and technical capacity gaps in developing countries. Using examples from Indonesia, Brazil, and others, it argues for inclusive, transparent, and potentially regionalized MRV frameworks to ensure the credibility of carbon credits.

• The definition of 'forest' is a critical but unresolved component of MRV systems, as it determines which lands are eligible for REDD+ activities and affects the reference scenario. The document notes that there is currently "no globally agreed definition of forest under the REDD mechanism".
• Reference Emission Levels (RELs) and Reference Levels (RLs) serve as the benchmarks for measuring the impact of REDD+ interventions and determining eligibility for international results-based support. The choice of RL approach—historical, projected, or historical adjusted—is strategic and affects countries differently based on their forest cover and deforestation rates.
• A 'nested approach' is proposed as a mechanism to allow countries to begin REDD+ efforts through subnational activities and gradually transition to a national approach, or to allow both to coexist. This approach aims to maximize the potential of both project-level and government-level credits while reducing the risk of leakage.
• There is a direct trade-off between the quality of information in an MRV system and the required costs and capacity. The document references IPCC Tiers 1, 2, and 3, noting that while Tier 2 is the minimum for reliable estimates, many developing countries may start with Tier 1 and progress toward Tier 3 to optimize the ability to monetize carbon.
• Developing countries face significant capacity gaps in implementing MRV; fewer than 20% have submitted a complete GHG inventory, and only China, India, and Mexico are cited as having adequate capacities for both monitoring forest area change and forest inventories.
• The involvement of local communities and indigenous peoples is essential for 'ground-truthing' top-down measurements (such as GIS) and improving the overall accuracy of MRV programs.
• Regional cooperation in MRV is identified as a potential way to reduce costs and address transboundary drivers of deforestation, such as illegal logging, provided that countries can harmonize definitions and technologies.
• Budget estimates for REDD+ readiness vary widely across countries. For a three-year period, the cost for a reference scenario ranged from US$322,000 in the Republic of Congo to US$4,177,000 in Colombia, while MRV of emissions and removals ranged from US$350,000 in Liberia to US$30,234,000 in Mexico.

APA

Bernard, F., & Minang, P. A. (2011). Strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_strengthening_mrv_kenya.pdf

Chicago

Bernard, Florence, and Peter A. Minang. Strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_strengthening_mrv_kenya.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bernard |first1=Florence |last2=Minang |first2=Peter A. |title=Strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+ |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_strengthening_mrv_kenya.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bernard2011strengthening, author = {Bernard, Florence and Minang, Peter A.}, title = {{Strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_strengthening_mrv_kenya.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }