A REDD+ National Strategy or Action Plan is mandatory under UNFCCC for any country wishing to receive international REDD+ funds. ICIMOD’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+ Initiative) has helped the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) draft the National REDD+ Strategy, which has now been submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India for its approval. For effective implementation of National REDD+ Strategy (NRS) it is always better for countries to develop sub-national or state REDD+ Action Plans (SRAPs), which detail site-specific interventions and a budget. In most countries there are significant sub-national differences in forest ecosystems and deforestation and forest degradation drivers, so REDD+ interventions must be tailored to a region.

A State REDD+ Action Plan (SRAP) responds to the challenge of operationalizing a National REDD+ Strategy or Action Plan and its component policies by tailoring them to address local deforestation and forest degradation drivers and barriers to expanding forest carbon enhancement activities. Sub-national planning also allows local stakeholder participation in the planning process, which will make REDD+ programmes more transparent and socially sustainable.

If possible, SRAPs should follow a detailed NRS process so that the SRAP process can build on and complement national policies and measures. This sequencing results in a more streamlined and cost-effective SRAP process while ensuring the overall national coherence of REDD+.

Objectives

The workshop aims to promote understanding of the status and trends of forest cover change, drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, and barriers for enhancement for carbon sequestration in Shan State in Myanmar and develop a coherent draft SRAP. This plan should have an intervention package with budget and monitoring.