Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences

The document examines eight existing reporting processes and early actions in five countries to identify how they can support REDD+ safeguard reporting. It argues for a harmonized, country-driven approach that leverages existing data from biodiversity and forest governance systems to reduce burdens on developing nations.

• Several existing international and national processes provide data applicable to the seven REDD+ safeguards. The UN-REDD Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria (SEPC) and the CCBA REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards (SES) are the most closely aligned, covering most safeguards. The Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process is particularly effective for governance safeguards, while the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) provide critical data on biodiversity and natural forests.
• Existing systems offer practical lessons for meeting the Durban guidance principles for SIS. Transparency is achieved through multistakeholder processes and validation; consistency is supported by fixed reporting timelines and common tools like the Benefits and Risk Tool (BeRT); accessibility is improved via online portals and local language availability; and flexibility is demonstrated by the evolution of indicators over time.
• Early implementation in Ethiopia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Vietnam shows that countries are integrating REDD+ SIS into existing institutional structures. For example, Indonesia uses its National Council on Climate Change to build on subnational and national REDD+ authorities, and the Philippines utilizes data from its FRA and project-level MRV systems to inform national reporting.
• Stakeholder participation and community-level involvement are critical for the success and validation of safeguard information. Ethiopia emphasizes community-level data collection and monitoring based on Participatory Forest Management, while Indonesia utilizes a board of multistakeholders.
• There is a critical need to harmonize REDD+ safeguard reporting requirements to avoid unnecessary complexities for national focal points who currently face competing demands from the UNFCCC, bilateral donors, and voluntary standards.
• International guidance and financial support are necessary, but must be flexible enough to respect varying national capacities and avoid imposing burdens that necessitate the use of international consultants.

APA

Boyle, J., & Murphy, D. (2012). Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_sis_building_existing_systems_brief.pdf

Chicago

Boyle, Jessica, and Deborah Murphy. Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_sis_building_existing_systems_brief.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boyle |first1=Jessica |last2=Murphy |first2=Deborah |title=Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_sis_building_existing_systems_brief.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boyle2012designing, author = {Boyle, Jessica and Murphy, Deborah}, title = {{Designing Effective REDD+ Safeguard Information Systems: Building on existing systems and country experiences}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_sis_building_existing_systems_brief.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }