REDD+ Implementation in Malaysia

Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 195 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015.

The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations together to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

The Goal: To hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Warsaw Framework for REDD Plus

In November 2013, during COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland, seven (7) important decisions were adopted on REDD Plus, which are jointly known as the “Warsaw Framework on REDD-plus”.

These decisions address a work programme on:

1. Results-based payment (RBP);
2. Coordination of support for implementation;
3. Modalities for national forest monitoring systems;
4. Presenting information on safeguards;
5. Technical assessment of reference (emission) levels;
6. Modalities for measuring, reporting and verifying (MRV); and
7. Information on addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.

In addition, the modalities for institutional arrangements at the national level for REDD Plus implementation and results-based payments were also agreed.

Cancun Safeguards

In November 2010, during the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it was decided that Parties implementing REDD Plus activities are to promote and support the seven safeguards in accordance with national circumstances and respective capabilities.

These safeguards, later called the “Cancun Safeguards”, were laid out in paragraph 2 of Appendix I to Decision 1/CP.16.