| Overview : The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The Programme was launched in 2008 and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation. The Programme supports national REDD+ readiness efforts in 56 partner countries, spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, in two ways: (i) direct support to the design and implementation of UN-REDD National Programmes; and (ii) complementary support to national REDD+ action through common approaches, analyses, methodologies, tools, data and best practices developed through the UN-REDD Global Programme. Uganda became a Participant of FCPF in 2008 and in 2009 received a first US$200,000 Grant through the World Bank to prepare a REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP). Uganda embarked on R-PP preparation phase in March 2010 which was approved during the ninth Participants’ Committee meeting in Oslo in June, 2011 with comments. Uganda submitted an acceptable and updated R-PP in May 2012 after which a second US$3,634,000 Readiness Preparation Grant Agreement was signed on July 10, 2013 between the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD/World Bank). Additional support has been received from the Grant Agreement with Austrian Development Agency (ADA – US$ 870,000) and UN-REDD Targeted Support (US$ 75,000) and GoU contribution (US$ 472,000 in kind). The approved R-PP comprises the following 4 key component including (a) Readiness Organization and Consultation including setting up national REDD+ management arrangements and advancing consultation, participation and outreach; (b) REDD+ Strategy Preparation, including assessment of land use, land use change drivers, forest law, policy and governance, REDD+ strategy options, implementation framework and social and environmental impacts; (c) Reference Emissions Level/Reference Levels and; (d) Monitoring Systems for Forests and Safeguards, including NFMS and information system for multiple benefits other impacts, governance and safeguards. UN-REDD National Programme joined the on-going efforts by GoU, FCPF/World Bank, Austria Development Agency and other players to support Uganda to get ready for REDD+ by 2020. In April 2014, Uganda received an invitation from UN-REDD to prepare a National Programme Document. In June 2014, a UN-REDD scoping mission was undertaken jointly with FCPF/World Bank’s annual supervisory mission and potential gaps and areas where UN-REDD could contribute to the country’s REDD+ process was identified. The mission recommended completion and submission of Uganda’s UN-REDD National Programme document, which was considered at the 13 Policy Board in November 2014 in Arusha Tanzania. Uganda’s UN-REDD National Programme document was signed on 17th September 2015 and launched on October 30th 2015 with a UN-REDD grant of US$ 1,798,670 and some additional UN-REDD Backstopping support of US$ 35,000. The overall UN-REDD NP goal is to enable Uganda to be ready for REDD+ implementation, including development of necessary institutions, policies, instruments and capacities, in a collaborative and leveraging way with other REDD+ readiness partners. The UN-REDD NP has three major outcomes - led by UNDP, FAO and UNEP, respectively: Outcome 1 – A transformational national REDD+ strategy is designed through substantial multi-sectorial technical and policy dialogue, including robust policy options and measures, mainstreamed and anchored in national development vision, planning and framework; Outcome 2 – A National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) is designed and set up, with appropriate Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) functions; and Outcome 3 – Subnational implementation of the REDD+ national strategy is prepared and facilitated through an “integrated landscape management” approach, building on a comprehensive set of analytical work, engagement and capacity building of stakeholders, and early actions. The objective of this assignment is to consolidate analytical work and bibliography on potential for enhancement of forest carbon stocks (which includes reforestation, afforestation, natural or assisted regeneration, agroforestry, and agro-silvo-pastoralism), and conduct a SWOT analysis of existing policies, laws, regulations (PLRs), institutions and strategic investment plans (SIPs) in reference to options and priorities for the potential for enhancement of forest carbon stocks in the context of REDD+ to inform the REDD+ strategy development in Uganda. The assignment will ensure that all relevant issues are examined including relevant policies, laws, regulations (PLRs), institutions, options andpriorities for potential for enhancement of forest carbon stocks in the context of REDD+ enhancement of forest carbon stocks in the context of REDD+ in Uganda. The findings and conclusions of this study will form basis for consultations with stakeholders during the process of formulating Uganda’s REDD+ Strategy. |
