Alliance for Global REDD+ Capacity presents forthcoming Competencies Framework at SBSTA

On June 6th, 2013 the Alliance for Global REDD+ Capacity (AGRC), with the support of FCMC, hosted a side event titled “Latest Perspectives on Capacity Building for REDD+: Case Studies & New Tools” at the UNFCCC SB38 which took place in Bonn, Germany, from June 3rd to 14th. AGRC was represented by Conservation International, The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC). The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) assisted in organizing the event.

The side event was a strategic space to showcase the AGRC’s forthcoming “REDD+ Competencies Framework”; present and discuss its structure, purpose and uses; share an update of the participatory process for developing this tool; and network with government and organizations working on REDD+ capacity building.

The event also included the participation of Evan Notman, a USAID activity manager for FCMC and member of the US Delegation, who explained FCMC’s mission and objective, as well as Ricardo Ulate, a country delegate from Costa Rica, and Yaw Kwakye from the Ghana REDD+ Secretariat, who presented their perspectives on REDD+ capacity building needs and challenges. The event’s total attendance of 42 participants included official country delegates, academia, civil society and private sector; all from a variety of countries such as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Laos, Colombia, Brazil, Cambodia, Japan, Ghana and Costa Rica. Beyond the side event, AGRC members had a chance to share information to multilateral agencies, CIFOR Forest News Blog and implementing partners.

Next steps for the Competencies Framework include the preparation of a validation workshop in July 2013 in Washington, D.C. and the final launch of the product in September, 2013.