UGANDA

PROGRESS AGAINST THE WARSAW FRAMEWORK

NS/AP: The national REDD+ mechanism started in 2008 when the country became a participant of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) after approval of the Forest Carbon Partnership Readiness Plan Idea Note (ER-PIN). Since 2013, with grants from FCPF, Austria Development Cooperation (ADC) and the UN-REDD National Programme, the Government of Uganda embarked on implementing a REDD+Readiness phase. Thanks to this, Uganda has now several elements of the Warsaw Framework in place such as the National REDD+ Strategy which was completed in 2017.

FREL/FRL: In 2021, a new, dense, time-series algorithm was tested and gave promising results for assessing deforestation, and potentially degradation and enhancement. The NFMS may integrate this in the future to improve accuracy.

NFMS: The FREL was submitted to the UNFCCC in 2018, followed by a BUR and REDD+ Technical Annex in 2020, including REDD+ results for reducing deforestation for the years 2016 and 2017.

SIS: Uganda has made progress on its safeguards information system (SIS) and the elaboration of its first summary of information (SOI). Uganda has developed a draft version of its SIS webpage; it is under review and feedback. Also, a draft template to guide the process for collecting data and information on REDD+ has been prepared. The country’s first SOI was drafted with support from the World Bank and received feedback from UN-REDD. The report is in the final review stages.

REDD+ IMPLEMENTATION

Forests solutions realized. In 2021, UN-REDD TA support included the development and design of a SIS webpage, together with templates and recommendations for data collection. This work will be completed in Q1 2022.

Forests solutions rewarded. The main outputs under this outcome were the submission of a proposal to the LEAF Coalition for emission reductions in the 2022-2026 period and the development of a RBPs Concept Note to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for results achieved in 2016 and 2017 and submitted to UNFCCC in 2020. To achieve these milestones, UN-REDD approximated emissions for the reference period 2017- 2021 to generate detailed estimates of expected volume of carbon credits which helped in LEAF proposal drafting.

UN-REDD conducted a detailed gap analysis against the ART-TREES safeguards requirements and identified actions for filling gaps for conformance to ART-TREES requirements. Additional discussions, engaging country stakeholders, will take place to update the assessment.

UN-REDD supported the country with its strategies for carbon finance by evaluating several carbon standards (ART-TREES) and carbon finance opportunities (i.e., LEAF and GCF-RBP) and formulating strategic recommendations. UN-REDD also supported dialogues between LEAF corporate buyers and government following LEAF proposal submission.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions, few missions were organized by the UN-REDD team in Uganda. One mission was organized to follow the implementation of safeguards activities, LEAF and GCF-RBP submission and discuss with national counterparts the strategic priorities to access carbon finance.

GENDER AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

Uganda established a technical working group with different actors (including CSO representatives and local communities) to deliver on the LEAF proposal. Uganda conducted two stakeholder consultations to gather inputs and validate the LEAF proposal before its submission.

PARTNERSHIPS

UN-REDD work carried out in 2021 benefited from the partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and the National REDD+ Focal Point. The Focal Point, within the MWE, played an important role in coordinating closely with the UN-REDD team and all members within the working group to provide content and consolidating inputs. In addition, UN-REDD established a partnership with the World Bank and agreed on the efforts to bring in private sector actors to scale up investment from buyers from targeted REDD+ programmes (notably the Elgon and Albertine Rift regions under the World Bank investment programme). This includes forest restoration and enhancement of carbon stocks.

LINKAGES TO SDGS

The REDD+ activities, including safeguards, NDC implementation, RBP and MRV, contribute directly to achieving SDG 13 and 15, with linkage to other SDGs such as poverty reduction, health and well-being, gender equity, hunger alleviation and improving institutions.