REDD at the Copenhagen Climate Talks and Beyond - Bridging the Gap between Negotiation and Action
When: Wednesday 11 November - Friday 13 November 2009
Where: Hilton Opera Hotel, 1 Le Thanh Ton, Hanoi
With endorsement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), key climate change negotiators and stakeholders from eight Asian countries will join with international experts to discuss how a global deal on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing countries (REDD) can be shaped to provide national and global benefits. The international training workshop REDD at the Copenhagen Climate Talks and Beyond – Bridging the Gap between Negotiation and Action is co-hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Canada and the ASB (Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn) programme at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).
A global REDD deal will be confirmed at the next international climate change conference in Copenhagen this December and workshop participants will share experiences related to the key issues and options on the REDD agenda.
"As we approach the Copenhagen meeting in December it is important we come together to share experiences on REDD interests and priorities, and learn about the REDD options on the table and what national and global implications these options will create." said Ms Pham Minh Thoa, Deputy Director General, Department of Forestry, MARD.
REDD has been put forward as a likely new tool to allow tropical nations to participate in, and benefit from, a new climate treaty that would begin in 2013.
"REDD offers the potential of economic incentives to support developing countries in valuing their standing forests due to its role in reducing emission and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions from the destruction and degradation of their forests." said Peter Akong Minang, global coordinator of the ASB Programme.
The international workshop will bring together key representatives from eight Asian countries, which are participating in the UN-REDD and World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vanuatu and Vietnam. The workshop will include negotiators, stakeholders and other experts from national ministries, research institutions, leading international organizations and non government organizations (NGOs) in Asia, as well as experts from Latin America, Africa and Canada.
“This workshop will allow negotiators to assess the different options on REDD that are currently on the negotiating table from a country perspective and take informed decisions that will ensure benefits for the climate and for development.” John Drexhage, Director Climate Change and Energy, IISD
The workshop is funded by the Norwegian Development Agency (NORAD) under the Forests and Climate Initiative.
About the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Vietnam: The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), generates science-based knowledge about the complex role that trees play in agricultural landscapes and uses its research to ensure that policies and practices benefit the poor and the environment.
About the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins: ASB is the only global partnership devoted entirely to research on the tropical forest margins. ASB works across the Amazon, Central Africa and Southeast Asia to bring together indigenous knowledge, policy perspectives, and solid science to reveal the tradeoffs that must be considered between conservation and development activities in the forest margins.
About the International Institute for Sustainable Development: IISD (
http://www.iisd.org/) is a not-for-profit research institute established in 1990 that has offices in Winnipeg, Ottawa, New York and Geneva. It promotes the transition to a sustainable future by continually working to demonstrate how human ingenuity can be applied to improve the well-being of the environment, economy and society. The Institute focuses on advancing policy recommendations in the areas of climate change and energy, international trade and investment, measurement and assessment and sustainable natural resource management.
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