PROGRESS AGAINST THE WARSAW FRAMEWORK
NS/AP
In 2019, REDD+ implementation efforts in Zambia were guided by the national REDD+ strategy. UN-REDD provided support for fundraising and strengthening the necessary country systems to implement REDD+. With the support of the Programme, the country completed its national REDD+ strategy in 2014, which was launched in 2017, and, in late 2017, it presented to national stakeholders its national REDD+ strategy investment plan, which had been developed with support from UN-REDD.
FREL/FRL
During 2019, Zambia worked towards updating its FREL with improved activity data and emission factors. The final updated submission is planned for 2020.
NFMS
IIn 2019, UN-REDD played a crucial role in the coordination of international agencies with relevant presence in the country (United States Forest Service, FCPF) and other stakeholders for the delivery of coherent and robust technical support on the use of the NFMS, which was launched in 2017.
SIS
UN-REDD supported the country in the development of its first summary of information on safeguards, drafted in 2018, which was approved and submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat in 2019, making Zambia the first African country to submit that report. The report proposed the implementation of an SIS website and database produced and reviewed by the members of the national safeguards technical working group and other representatives of key institutions. The country advanced with the development of the test version, which is currently under review
REDD+ Implementation
The national REDD+ strategy and the REDD+ investment plan are guiding efforts for REDD+ implementation, notably through the development and ongoing review of a set of more detailed concept notes for REDD+ investments. In 2019, UN-REDD worked on the mobilization of resources, specifically to assist the country to acquire additional funding for REDD+ implementation from the GCF Simplified Approval Process Pilot Scheme (SAP) of GCF. The project proposal targets “Reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in Zambia’s North-Western Province in support to nationally-determined contribution implementation and for results-based payments”. UN-REDD is closely aligning its ongoing work to update activity data and emission factors with the requirements of the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Programme, which is expected to build an integrated NFMS that would deliver estimates for historical emissions, activity data and emission factors, consistent across several levels. UN-REDD will ensure consistency between the benefit-sharing plan for the Northern Province, developed in the context of the GCF SAP REDD+ project, with the benefit-sharing plan being developed by the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Programme for the Eastern Province. In 2019, with the support of UN-REDD, the Zambian Forestry Department continued its work on designing an approach to nesting subnational REDD+ efforts and carbon credit projects. The scope of a draft statutory instrument on carbon management, which would regulate carbon ownership and benefit sharing, is being discussed at the country-level.
Challenges and Solutions
During 2019, the delivery of UN-REDD technical assistance decelerated due to the shortage of human resources in the Zambian Forestry Department, and a few activities have been slightly postponed. The FREL update, which began in 2019, will continue and be finalized in 2020.
Gender and Social Inclusion
Gender equality is a guiding principle when organizing capacity development interventions as part of UN-REDD. The composition of the national safeguards technical working group includes various stakeholders, representing Government and civil society institutions, and constitutes a platform for participation with both female and male voices. The working group has provided support and inputs, and has reviewed and validated all the safeguards processes in 2019. Moreover, the country’s first summary of information on safeguards resulted from an analytical and participatory process involving diverse stakeholders: key Government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia and existing REDD+ projects.
Partnerships
UN-REDD work was closely coordinated with other REDD+ initiatives in the country, especially at the subnational level. Most notably, during 2019 the country developed the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscapes Programme in Eastern Province for results-based funding by the BioCarbon Fund.
Linkages to SDGs
The completion of the FREL, the launch of the NFMS, and the progress achieved towards the SIS contribute to SDG 15 (life on land).
