Myanmar

Country Area : 676,578 km²

Forested Area (1000 ha) : 29,041

UN-REDD Programme Partner Country : Yes (as of December 2011)

Type of UN-REDD Programme Support Received : National Programme, Targeted support

Progress against the Warsaw Framework for REDD+

Myanmar received UN-REDD targeted support in 2013 to develop a REDD+ Readiness Roadmap and used this Roadmap to develop a funding proposal in November 2013 based on a full UN-REDD
National Programme. Activities under this targeted support began in January 2015 with the development of Action Plans for NFMS and FREL/FRL and initial capacity building activities based on these plans, and have continued with activities for stakeholders engagement and REDD+ awareness; effective and participatory governance arrangements for REDD+, REDD+ safeguards definition and national SIS development and preliminary National REDD+ Strategy development. Myanmar’s National Programme was provisionally approved in 2015.

National REDD+ Strategy/Action Plan
The country’s REDD+ Readiness Roadmap was finalized by a series of multi-stakeholder consultation processes with
a final national roadmap validation workshop held. In 2015 the supported Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), in collaboration with The Promotion of Indigenous and Nature Together (POINT), undertook a preparatory meeting with indigenous peoples, and a dialogue with the Forest Department of Myanmar. (33 indigenous participants). The participants formulated recommendations, which were presented during the dialogues with Forest Department. It also served as a platform for establishing linkages between and amongst leaders and representatives of indigenous organizations and communities, committed to work together on REDD+ and related issues. In particular, the participants agreed to strengthen and use the existing Indigenous Peoples Forum of Myanmar to monitor REDD+ process. Initial work begun on assessing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation with consultation meetings with stakeholders including the agriculture and finance sectors.

National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS)
The Forestry Department and other stakeholders elaborated on NFMS and FREL/FRL action plans and a draft NFMS action plan was developed. Capacity on NFI/NFM was enhanced through training for technical personnel in Mongolia as well as India. Stakeholder participation dynamics for NFMS and FREL work (MRV group) reinitiated. Capacity built on National Forest Inventory design and methodology through a national workshop (49 participants) and capacity enhanced on land cover change assessment using Open Foris Collect Earth (20 participants).

Forest Reference Emission Level / Forest Reference Level (FREL/FRL)
Capacity needs assessment carried out according to 15 major criteria relevant for NFMS and FREL/FRL development. A national FREL/FRL workshop completed (35 participants) with essential elements for FREL/FRL action plan developed and endorsed by the government.

Safeguards and Safeguards Information System (SIS)
Initial work started on a social and environmental SIS. A Stakeholder Engagement and Safeguards Technical Working Group established and held its first meeting and developed an action plan for their on-going work. In addition, a National REDD+ Academy Event was held in 2015. (Information here).

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