How to achieve effective participation of communities in the monitoring of REDD+ projects: A case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

April 28, 2016 | 13:30 h - 14:30 h

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Colleagues,

We cordially invite you to a public lecture with <link www.landespflege.uni-freiburg.de/mitarbeiter-en/mukungu-en Mukungu</link>, Chair of Landscape Management, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg,

who will talk about “How to achieve effective participation of communities in the monitoring of REDD+ projects: A case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)”

Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Venue: Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung / Center for Development Research (ZEF),
Walter-Flex-Straße 3, 53113 Bonn (see <link 2316>map</link>). Ground floor, right conference room.

Abstract:

Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is a result-based mechanism that requires from countries a robust and transparent national monitoring system to measure, report, and verify (MRV) efforts to reduce forest emissions, and safeguard information systems for carbon, and non-carbon benefits respectively, in developing countries.

At the REDD+ projects level, the MRV requirements depend on the scope of the project and the aspired certification. Community-based monitoring (CBM) has been proposed as a viable complementary approach to remote sensing or national forest inventories by providing detailed on the ground data, in the context of implementing REDD+ projects. In addition, CMB presents potential benefits such as: cost efficiency, increasing community ownership, strengthening sustainability, and increased data quality.

Yet, very little information exists on how CBM of REDD+ projects can be implemented and taken into account within the framework of national MRV system. The objective of this research was to build knowledge on the role of forest communities in the monitoring of REDD+ projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the most advanced country in implementing REDD+ projects in the Congo Basin region; and develop recommendations on how CBM can be implemented at the project level based on experts’ views. Data was collected through three rounds of questionnaires following the Delphi technique. 35 international experts out of 65 selected based on their established knowledge of REDD+ projects and CBM in DRC and elsewhere, agreed to participate in the study. 19 feedbacks were received from the first round, 17 from the second round and 14 from the third and last round. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA and Microsoft Excel applications/software. The results reveal consensus among panelists that, community members are able to monitor carbon and non-carbon benefits from REDD+ projects. However, it emerged that for this to be effective, a monitoring scheme which allows community members to participate in all the steps of the monitoring process is the most suitable, while prerequisites such as capacity building must be in place. As for suitable indicators for CBM of REDD+ projects, experts identified among other things, species stocks assessment, forest cover, and quality of socio-economic benefits. However, indicators must preferably be context and project specific.  These findings provide REDD+ projects managers with information about key factors to take into account for the participation of community members in the monitoring process. NGOs can use them to support community members or for advocacy. The national REDD+ coordination (CN-REDD) in DRC, can use these findings as a concrete baseline to advance discussions with all the stakeholders about the place of community members in REDD+ activities at the project level. 

Speaker:

<link www.landespflege.uni-freiburg.de/mitarbeiter-en/mukungu-en Mukungu</link> is from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture science and a Master’s degree in environmental science and management in developing countries, option biodiversity and nature. She has about ten years of experience in DRC in forest governance, local and indigenous people rights, environment protection, REDD+, FLEGT, certification, adaptation to climate change. Joelle is a 2015-2016 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellow in the International Climate Protection program. Her research topic is “How to achieve full and effective participation of communities in the monitoring of REDD+ projects in DRC” and she is hosted by PD Dr. Christine SCHMITT, Chair for Landscape management, University of Freiburg and senior researcher at ZEF.

Entrance to the lecture is free, no registration is required. We look forward to seeing you at ZEF on April 28!