Following the ongoing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations on REDD+ structure and financing mechanisms, REDD+ Himalaya partner countries, i.e. Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, are currently establishing political, institutional, and technical frameworks for REDD+ implementation. An important part of this is developing national action plans and building institutional and technical capacity. As a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge institution, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) implemented its REDD+ Himalaya project from 2014 to 2018 in Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal to support ongoing REDD+ readiness through the Regional REDD+ Initiative.

The project is completing its implementation phase with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The aim of the project was to support partner countries as they tried to improve conditions for socially and ecologically appropriate REDD+ measures to mitigate climate change. The project has made direct contributions to the national action plans of respective countries, and made a significant effort in linking them through continuous and deliberate sharing and exchanging experiences, and knowledge built in due course through a regional learning platform. Against this backdrop, a fourth regional review and planning meeting has been planned to synthesize the experience, knowledge, challenges, and learnings among its partner countries.

Objectives

1. To review and share the progress made by partner countries with reference to the 2018 plan and Letter of Agreement (LoA) with ICIMOD.
2. To review and synthesize REDD+ knowledge management communication strategies and platforms.

Expected Results

• Collection of inputs for drafting final project progress report.
• Synthesized knowledge management and communication strategy with updated knowledge products.
• Agreement on a project exit strategy.

Participants

• Bhutan: Forest Resources Management Division (FRMD), Department of Forest and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
• India: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, represented by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
• Myanmar: Ministry of Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation (MONREC), through the Forest Research Institute (FRI)
• Nepal: Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, through the REDD Implementation Centre