Options for sampling and stratification for national forest inventories to implement REDD+ under the UNFCCC

Area of Science:

• Forestry Science
• Climate Change Mitigation
• Environmental Monitoring

Background:

• Developing countries require a national forest monitoring system for the Reducing emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism, adopted at COP 16.
• This system must support Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) under the UNFCCC, as REDD+ is results-based.
• A national forest inventory (NFI) is a crucial component for assessing forest carbon stocks and emissions, adhering to IPCC Guidance and Guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the essential elements of IPCC Guidance and Guidelines for UNFCCC reporting.
• To establish a framework for developing an NFI tailored for REDD+ implementation.
• To propose a novel forest land stratification scheme for REDD+ and discuss optional elements for operationalizing an NFI.

Main Methods:

• Review of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidance and Guidelines.
• Development of a novel forest land stratification scheme for REDD+.
• Identification of optional elements for operationalizing a national forest inventory (NFI) for REDD+.

Main Results:

• Key elements of IPCC Guidance and Guidelines relevant to UNFCCC reporting requirements are identified.
• A novel scheme for stratifying forest land specifically for REDD+ is proposed within the established framework.
• Optional elements for countries to consider for the successful operationalization of their REDD+ NFI are presented.

Conclusions:

• Methodological guidance and political decisions for REDD+ under UNFCCC will continue to evolve.
• Developing an NFI to directly support REDD+ activities presents a new challenge, building on traditional NFI experience.
• Scientific and national agencies must understand this challenge for successful and environmentally sound REDD+ mitigation actions, with the proposed stratification being a key contribution.