Consolidating National REDD+ Accounting and Subnational Activities in Ghana
Summary
Forest Trends engaged with Climate Focus to prepare an assessment of options for integrating subnational activities on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)1Note that while this study is essentially focused on carbon market approaches (i.e. crediting and trading of emission reductions/removals) to stimulate subnational action, into the design of the national REDD+ architecture in Ghana in a way that is consistent with the emerging international REDD+ policy. This assessment forms part of a broader effort led by Forest Trends and the Nature Conservation Research Centre to strengthen national and project-level capacity for REDD+ in Ghana. The project has received generous support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This study provides an analysis of options for integrating (“nesting”) subnational into national REDD+ activities within Ghana’s emerging REDD+ policy. In line with Ghana’s proposal for developing a national REDD+ strategy as presented in its Readiness Plan Proposal (R-PP) in January 2010, we have looked at how the various REDD+ policies, programs and projects that Ghana is developing could work and interact with the emerging international REDD+ mechanism. In particular, this study discusses key requirements for making REDD+ carbon finance accessible at the subnational level and how subnational activities could then co-exist with the Ghanaian national REDD+ architecture currently being developed.