Guyana, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico share forest data

Earlier this week at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting, Guyana, Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico submitted forest reference emission levels for technical assessment in the context of results-based payments for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+).

Colombia also announced the presentation of forest reference emission levels and noted the plan to deliver them by the end of 2014.  These countries follow Brazil, which was the first to submit reference levels in June. The report of the review of Brazil’s submission was released last week.

When a country implements REDD+, the results need to be measured against a starting point or benchmark. The forest reference emission level is the starting point.

As required by the UNFCCC, each submission includes information and rationale on the development of the forest reference emission levels, including details of national circumstances and, if adjusted, includes details on how the national circumstances were considered. All information from the submissions will be available through the UNFCCC website.

“We are thrilled that these countries are taking important action to implement the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, and we look forward submissions from other REDD+ countries in the coming year,” said Josefina Brana-Varela, Policy Director for WWF’s international Forest and Climate Programme.

“This exceeded our expectations in how quickly countries were able to prepare and submit these forest reference emissions levels,” noted Peter Graham, Leader of the Forest and Climate Programme.

“This now represents a challenge to donor nations and financial institutions to take full advantage of this opportunity for significant mitigation in the pre-2020 timeframe.”

Countries submitted these forest reference emissions levels during the UNFCCC meeting in Lima, which is set to conclude on December 12. The meeting in Peru is a pivotal opportunity to build the political will needed to craft a new global climate deal.

Governments are expected to agree on the outline of an agreement to be approved in Paris in 2015 and the WWF has called on negotiators to guarantee the inclusion of the forest sector in the new climate regime.