PROGRESS AGAINST THE WARSAW FRAMEWORK
FREL/FRL
UN-REDD provided technical support to update Mexico’s FREL/ FRL, which is due to be submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat in early 2020. The activity data were improved with associated uncertainties assessed. The new FREL/FRL covers the period 2007–2016, and the country is seeking to receive results-based payments for 2017 and 2018.
SIS
In 2019, Mexico developed a series of tools to support safeguard implementation at the state and national levels. UN-REDD published a series of nine thematic flyers to support the implementation at the state level of REDD+ safeguards, with guidance on how to collect relevant information for the national SIS. UN-REDD supported Mexico to understand safeguards requirements for results-based payments proposals under GCF and ways of using existing safeguards’ processes to help meet those requirements. These inputs were possible thanks to the experience of UN-REDD collaborating agencies as accredited entities of approved GCF results-based payments project proposals.
REDD+ Implementation
Building on REDD+ finance workshops conducted in 2018, and following discussions with the new CONAFOR authorities, a mapping exercise on REDD+ financing opportunities was updated. A draft of the country’s REDD+ finance strategy was prepared, which will need to be updated before endorsement, and a road map for developing the revised version has been drafted. At the subnational level, options for financing REDD+ implementation through markets in the state of Jalisco were analysed and are under consideration. UN-REDD also facilitated and strengthened collaboration with the Mexican initiative of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force.
UN-REDD supported CONAFOR to survey financial intermediaries to better understand the barriers to the forest sector accessing finance. In addition, support was provided to revise the country’s Forest Law with respect to options for economic incentives for forest conservation (forest bonds or “bono forestal”) and issues related to benefit-sharing.
Challenges and Solutions
Due to a change in administration in December 2018, CONAFOR has concentrated its efforts in assisting with the national review of federal programmes. For this reason, some UN-REDD technical assistance activities, such as the improvement of the Virtual Centre of Excellence in Forest Monitoring as the regional NFMS repository, have been postponed until 2020.
There have also been substantial budget cuts by the Federal Government to the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and CONAFOR, resulting in changes and a reduction of personnel, which has reduced the country’s capacity to implement the technical assistance activities. In addition, due to limited financial resources, the implementation of the South-South cooperation workplan was at risk. The REDD+ compass regional needs assessment undertaken in 2018, under the Mesoamerican Strategy on Environmental Sustainability, enabled regional partners to identify MRV gaps and alternative ways to address them.
Gender and Social Inclusion
A flyer entitled “Gender equality: Tools for the implementation of REDD+ in Mexico” was prepared as part of a series of tools to support the application of REDD+ safeguards at the state-level; its publication is foreseen in early 2020. The national REDD+ strategy (ENAREDD+) includes a range of guidance and lines of action that seek to promote gender equality, particularly in reference to participation and addressing discrimination. Moreover, the existing methodology for the development of state safeguard plans was reviewed and updated. State representatives discussed the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders as well as the process to develop and implement a plan, and its key content. A number of recommendations were also made to promote the active participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in the implementation of the State’s safeguards systems and related REDD+ activities.
Partnerships
South-South collaboration with the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation, the World Bank and SilvaCarbon enabled the continued improvement of the NFMS through the use of the FAO System for Earth Observation Data Access, Processing and Analysis for Land Monitoring (SEPAL) tools at the subnational level. Best practices for monitoring deforestation and forest degradation were shared at a regional workshop held from 29 to 31 October 2019 in Guadalajara, Mexico. UN-REDD collaborated with GIZ and SEMARNAT to analyse options to maximize the role of the forestry sector in the Mexican carbon market.
Linkages to SDGs
UN-REDD in Mexico is directly contributing to SDGs 13 (climate action) and 15 (life on land) by supporting the implementation of the national REDD+ strategy of Mexico, and contributes indirectly to SDGs 1 (no poverty) and 5 (gender equality) through the safeguards work.
