Panama

Country Area : 75,417 km2

Forested Area (1000 ha) : 4,617

UN-REDD Programme Partner Country : Yes

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

FCPF Member : Yes

Active FCPF Grant Holder: No

Readiness Grant Holder: No

Carbon Fund: No

In 2000, almost 45 per cent of Panama’s land area was covered in forests, down from about 70 per cent in 1947 - making a national REDD+ Programme imperative for the future of its forests. At present, some of the main drivers of deforestation and degradation are logging operations, infrastructure development and cattle ranching. The overall objective of the UN-REDD National Programme in Panama is to assist the government of Panama to develop an effective REDD+ regime. In October 2009, US$ 5.3 million was approved by the UN-REDD Programme Policy Board for Panama’s National Programme.

Progress against the Warsaw Framework for REDD+

Panama’s NP was complemented with targeted support during the implementation and after the NP ended (funding options for the reduction of emissions, NFMS development and to community-based forestry monitoring). Panama has demonstrated the link between on the ground support and policy formulation as illustrated by COP 21, in which Panama had a center stage in ensuring that REDD had a place in the final text. The country is also benefitting from the CBR+ initiative and has participated in the CNA for Mesoamerica. (See section 3.49). The following achievements are from the targeted support and CBR+ initiative. Achievements as a result of the NP can be found in the NP Final Report (here).

National REDD+ Strategy/Action Plan
With NP support Panama completed in 2015 the first part of the participatory process through the “active listening” methodology, resulting in a complete diagnosis of the situation of the forest and deforestation in Panama, including concrete proposals for the National REDD+ strategy from academia, NGOs, private sector, campesino, afro-descendant communities, women groups, and three indigenous groups. In 2015, targeted support resulted in the identification of sectors with the greatest potential demand for carbon emissions credits in Panama. The Ministry of Environment of Panama (MIAMBIENTE) was supported in the organization of training on carbon trading platforms and their feasibility in the Panama context. Work on financial and market instruments for REDD+ financing has been launched.

National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS)
Several technical documents of the components of the NFMS were produced: (1) proposal for implementing NFMS, (2) land use and land cover map, (3) map for historic deforestation (years 1990, 2000, 2006, 2012), (4) geographic information web platform (5) Results of the pilot phase of the national forest and carbon inventory (INFC), and (6) experimental design and recommendations for the final phase of the INFC. Additionally, a data sharing platform for land cover/land use maps was finalized and implemented at the MIAMBIENTE. A draft on community- based protocol of intellectual property on traditional knowledge of floristics species and recollection of herbarium specimens in indigenous territories was reviewed by indigenous and non- indigenous technical staff and approved by the authorities of COONAPIP. Training was conducted in GIS and remote sensing with indigenous technicians of different territories, including theory and practice field for community-based forest monitoring.

CBR+
Following the CBR+ Country Plan approval with extensive consultation with indigenous, campesino, afro-descendant and government stakeholders, and a call for proposals was issued in March 2015. After capacity-building and proposal-writing workshops, 14 CBR+ grants have been committed in total. Of these, 10 grants were made to indigenous organizations and an additional two grants to NGOs working in indigenous territories. A third round of six additional grants was approved in March 2016. Through the CBR+ initiative (known locally as “Bosques de Vida”), 37 indigenous or community associations have received training on project design and management, proposal writing, and administration of funds. The approved projects focus on restoring degraded forests through reforestation and conservation of native species; promoting agroforestry and sustainable livelihoods, including reviving indigenous agroforestry systems; and implementing community forest management plans.

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Key Country Documents

Panama National Programme Final Evaluation

Targeted Support Panama 4th Request Response Oct 2015 Approval

Targeted Support Panama 4th Request Sept 2015 Voluntary Form

Targeted Support Panama 3rd Request Response Jan 2015 Approval

Targeted Support Panama 3rd Request Dec 2014 Official Letter & Voluntary Form

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Key Recommended Resources

Forest Ecosystems in National Economies and Contribution of REDD+ in a Green Economy Transformation: The case of Panama

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All Recent Documents

Indigenous Peoples Experiences on Free, Prior and Informed Consent: A Collection of Case Studies (Panama)

Escenarios de deforestación futura en Panamá

Dinámicas de cambio de uso de suelo y costos de oportunidad en Panamá

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Country Focal Points

Find up-to-date contact information for all UN-REDD Programme Country Focal Points here.

 

Key Contacts

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Mr. Lucio Santos
Regional Technical Advisor, Food and Agriculture Organizaton of the United Nations (FAO)
Ms. Noelia Jover
Regional Technical Advisor, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (PNUD)
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Community Groups

Total Approved Targeted Support Amount (US$) 573,400
#   Timeline   Financial Information   Work Area (SNA Outcome)
1  
Date of Request 30.06.2014
Date of Approval 05.08.2014
Implementation Period (Months) 10
Status Completed
 
Amount Requested US$ 95,000
Amount Approved US$ 95,000
UN Agency Providing Support
FAO
 
MRV and Monitoring

Timeline: 

Lead National Institution: National Evironment Authority (ANAM)

Description: 

  TS1 and TS3 merged and results reported collectively.

(TS1)

  1. Community protocol proposal developed on the intellectual property of traditional knowledge, including results from consultations, workshops and validation with authorities and indigenous botanical experts.

  2. Land cover and land use map of Panama in 2012 published.

  3. Community forest monitoring pilots in place and operating in indigenous communities, based on the development and strengthening of local capacities.

  4. Trained indigenous technicians of three regions, gunas in the comarca Wargandi, and the Embera Wounaan in the comarca and collective lands, in the methodology of the National Forest and Carbon Inventory (INFC). Finished two additional sampling units for the pilot phase of the INFC.

  5. Data from the pilot phase of the NFI analyzed and discussed

  6. Established and documented the methodology for monitoring annual/biannual change in forest-cover and land-use. Trained national technicians in the proposed methodology and in the analysis of satellites images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(TS3)

 

 

 

  1. The country’s NFMS completed and forest monitoring started at community level.

  2. Options analyzed for directly and indirectly financing the National REDD+ Strategy.

  3. Three products finalized for the development of NFMS (i) the technical capacity increased of indigenous peoples on NFMS methods and measurement technics; (ii) the obtained data analyzed during the NFMS pilot phase, disseminate and consult the results, and obtain feedbacks for the final design of the NFMS, (iii) methods adjusted and documented for annual and biannual monitoring of forest cover and land use.

 

 

 

#   Timeline   Financial Information   Work Area (SNA Outcome)
2  
Date of Request 24.11.2014
Date of Approval 12.12.2014
Implementation Period (Months) 12
Status Under Implementation
 
Amount Requested US$ 250,000
Amount Approved US$ 250,000
UN Agency Providing Support
UNEP
 
Green Economy and Private Sector

Timeline: 

Lead National Institution: ANAM- National Authority of Environment

Description: 

  1. Direct investments promoted in emission reduction activities in order to contribute to the financial sustainability in the National REDD Strategy framework.
  2. Funding options identified for green economy to create and encourage the demand of future emission reductions generated by the REDD+ Programme and other initiatives.

#   Timeline   Financial Information   Work Area (SNA Outcome)
3  
Date of Request 19.12.2014
Date of Approval 19.01.2015
Implementation Period (Months) 7
Status Under Implementation
 
Amount Requested US$ 47,500
Amount Approved US$ 47,400
UN Agency Providing Support
FAO
 
MRV and Monitoring

Timeline: 

Lead National Institution: ANAM- National Authority of Environment

Description: 

 TS1 and TS3 merged and results reported collectively.

(TS1)

  1. Community protocol proposal developed on the intellectual property of traditional knowledge, including results from consultations, workshops and validation with authorities and indigenous botanical experts.

  2. Land cover and land use map of Panama in 2012 published.

  3. Community forest monitoring pilots in place and operating in indigenous communities, based on the development and strengthening of local capacities.

  4. Trained indigenous technicians of three regions, gunas in the comarca Wargandi, and the Embera Wounaan in the comarca and collective lands, in the methodology of the National Forest and Carbon Inventory (INFC). Finished two additional sampling units for the pilot phase of the INFC.

  5. Data from the pilot phase of the NFI analyzed and discussed

  6. Established and documented the methodology for monitoring annual/biannual change in forest-cover and land-use. Trained national technicians in the proposed methodology and in the analysis of satellites images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(TS3)

 

 

 

  1. The country’s NFMS completed and forest monitoring started at community level.

  2. Options analyzed for directly and indirectly financing the National REDD+ Strategy.

  3. Three products finalized for the development of NFMS (i) the technical capacity increased of indigenous peoples on NFMS methods and measurement technics; (ii) the obtained data analyzed during the NFMS pilot phase, disseminate and consult the results, and obtain feedbacks for the final design of the NFMS, (iii) methods adjusted and documented for annual and biannual monitoring of forest cover and land use.

 

 

 

#   Timeline   Financial Information   Work Area (SNA Outcome)
4  
Date of Request 15.09.2015
Date of Approval 08.10.2015
Implementation Period (Months) 9
Status Under Implementation
 
Amount Requested US$ 0
Amount Approved US$ 181,000
UN Agency Providing Support
FAO
 
MRV and Monitoring

Timeline: 

Lead National Institution: Ministry of Environment

Description: 

 

The objective of the support is to continue the development and capacity building of technical staff and indigenous committees and councils on community-based forestry management of their territories and natural resources. The main expected results are:

 

  1. A conceptual framework developed for the community-based forestry monitoring in indigenous territories.

2. Strengthened capacity of indigenous technical groups for satellite monitoring. Strengthened technical capacity of the forestry staff serving at Doya (indigenous region of Darién) to develop forest and carbon inventories.