Challenges in developing national REDD+ strategies: Cambodia case study

The SUMERNET research team working on REDD+ has been observing the development of national REDD+ strategies in Cambodia. One of the key findings is that technical inputs needed for strategy development are lacking. This is despite the completion of the required activities such as assessing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation; establishing safeguard and national forest monitoring systems; and developing emission and forest reference levels. This constraint means that crucial decisions on the national strategy have been made without adequate technical knowledge of the processes and implications. In addition, there are political challenges arising from stakeholders having different interests and concerns.

These findings form part of the research team’s examination of the processes, challenges and opportunities that Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand have or will face in developing national REDD+ strategies. The team will host workshops in each country later this year to convey results and recommendations to policy makers and boundary partners.

Countries aiming to receive REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) financing are required by the UNFCCC, under the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, to develop national REDD+ strategies. These national documents, which detail a country’s policies and measures for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, have been the focus of the REDD+ research team from Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand.