NEWS

There is wide recognition that REDD will succeed only with the full participation and ownership of Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities. This is especially relevant at the local level, where land and other natural resource management decisions are ultimately made. The UN-REDD Programme engagement strategy for the full participation of Indigenous Peoples and Civil Society Organisations has been developed to guide national and international activities. The approach is driven by three basic principles: active representation, outreach and consultations, and the establishment of a CSO Advisory Group. More: http://www.cbd.int/forest/doc/un-redd-newsletter-vol-4-en.doc

The Global Environment Facility's (GEF) Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) held a workshop on 31 March 2009, in Washington DC, USA, to develop the Panel's scientific and technical guidance for the fifth GEF Replenishment strategic programming on REDD and sustainable forest management (SFM), based on new science and the Bali Action Plan. Full report available at: http://stapgef.unep.org/activities/technicalworkshops/SFM_REDD

Chatham House and the Rights and Resources Initiative are pleased to announce a new series of dialogue and update meetings on forest governance and climate change. The first one will take place on 8 July 2009, in London. The aim of the meetings is to promote learning and discussion on the key issues facing forests and forest communities as the world scales up efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The meeting will be organised around four topics: Forests and REDD in the UNFCCC Climate Negotiations; Forest funds: creating precedents and standards; Rights, rules, people and emissions reductions; and Carbon financing mechanisms and governance. Meeting open to all. Admission is free. Pre-registration by 1 July is mandatory. To register, send an email with name and affiliation to: logging.registration@chathamhouse.org.uk.

The "Little REDD Book", compiled by the Global Canopy Programme in collaboration with the Prince's Rainforest Project, is now available in French, Spanish and English. Translations into Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesia will be available in June.

For more information visit: http://www.littleREDDbook.org or contact Charlie Parker: c.parker@globalcanopy.org. For the GCP's latest thoughts on REDD and ecosystems services visit: http://www.globalcanopy.org/go/blog

REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS

The "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD): An Options Assessment Report" was requested by the Government of Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative and funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) with relevant preparatory activities supported by the Packard Foundation. The Government of Norway has made the inclusion of a mechanism for REDD in a post-2012 climate regime a policy priority in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. The report is intended to provide a fact-based analysis of options to effectively reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and impacts of an agreed mechanism.

For more information and to access the report, see: http://www.redd-oar.org/

ECA submission on REDD - recommendations for incorporation into REDD negotiating text for consideration at the sixth session of the AWG-LCA. ECA submission on LULUCF - responds to call for submissions on the Annex to the AWG-KP Chair's conclusions on Land use, land-use change and forestry (FCCC/KP/AWG/2009/L.3) "Options and proposals on how to address definitions, modalities, rules and guidelines for the treatment of land use, land use change and forestry". Deconstructing LULUCF and its Perversities (How Annex 1 Parties Avoid their Responsibilities in LULUCF: Rules Made by Loggers for Loggers) - The rules, definitions and guidelines on land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) under the Kyoto Protocol contain what are routinely referred to as the LULUCF perversities, since their application results in perverse outcomes for climate and biodiversity. This brief guide explain. The publications are available at: http://www.ecosystemsclimate.org/

A new book launched in April - Forests for the Future - is written by indigenous communities across Indonesia and describes the skills and knowledge used for generations to manage forest ecosystems without destroying them. The book discusses the forest management practices of indigenous peoples in Indonesia, and how it provides important lessons on how to deal with climate change.

For the full press release by AMAN and DTE, see: http://dte.gn.apc.org/GNSPR.htm