REDD Letter Day for Forests
UN and Norway Unite to Combat Climate Change from Deforestation

Jakarta, 25 September 2008--Tropical forested countries, including Indonesia, are stepping up the fight to combat climate change via a pioneering new initiative called the UN-REDD Programme announced by the United Nations.

The UN Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Programme (UN-REDD), to be carried out by three United Nations agencies, was unveiled by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg yesterday in New York. Norway is financing the $35 million initial phase of the programme.

Indonesia and eight other countries have already expressed formal interest in receiving assistance through the UN-REDD Programme. The eight other than Indonesia include Bolivia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tanzania, Viet Nam, and Zambia.

The programme is a collaboration between the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Aceh, with its large forest area and willingness to work on REDD issues will naturally be a focus area for UN-REDD. Potential assistance will range from work on carbon accounting to legal matters associated with deforestation and emission reduction efforts.

Some UN-REDD countries, including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania will “quick start” their efforts through developing national strategies, establishing robust systems for monitoring, assessment, reporting and verification of forest cover and carbon stocks, and building necessary capabilities – with support to others to follow in due course.

In subsequent phases, pilot projects will be rolled out to test ways of managing existing forests in order to maintain their ecosystem services and maximise their carbon stocks while delivering community and livelihood benefits.

The UN Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Programme will support these countries as part of an international move to include REDD in new and more comprehensive UN climate change arrangements to kick-in post 2012.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that the cutting down of forests is now contributing close to 20 per cent of the overall greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.
The UN-REDD Programme is aimed at tipping the economic balance in favour of sustainable management of forests so that their formidable economic, environmental and social goods and services benefit countries, communities and forest users while also contributing to important reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr. Ban said: “The battle against climate change cannot be won without the world’s forests—this is now clear. This initiative will not only demonstrate how forests can have an important role as part of a post-2012 climate regime, expected from the December 2009 Copenhagen climate change conference. It will also help build much needed confidence that the world community is ready to support the implementation of an inclusive, ambitious, and comprehensive climate regime once it is ratified”.

“This initiative is also a concrete illustration of the UN system’s commitment to provide coordinated support to Member States in responding to their climate change challenges. We appreciate Norway’s partnership in our effort to help the global community address this shared challenge.”

UNDP is the UN’s global network to help people meet their development needs and build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working as a trusted partner with governments, civil society and the private sector to help them build their own solutions to global and national development challenges. Further information about UNDP in Indonesia, please visit the UNDP-Indonesia site at www.undp.or.id. Addtional information about UNDP and its global programmes can be found at www.undp.org.

 For more information on UN-REDD, please contact:

Tomoyuki Uno, Programme Officer
Environmental Unit
United Nations Development Programme, Indonesia
+62 21 314 1308 ext. 203
tomoyuki.uno@undp.org