REDD+

IORA is a key in-country partner of the Forest PLUS Program, which is a bilateral USAID and MoEFCC initiative. The Program aims to build REDD+ readiness in India through ecosystem management, REDD+ MRV and PPP initiatives. The Program is led by Tetra Tech ARD.

Under the Forest PLUS Program, IORA, in association with the Michigan State University (MSU), is developing a national Forest Carbon MRV system for India. IORA is also leading the development of a national PPP and convergence framework for REDD+ in India and leading the development of four REDD+ pilots; two jurisdictional REDD+ projects and one landscape level project.  IORA is partnering with MSU, Forest Survey of India (FSI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to design advanced algorithms for remote sensing analysis using optical and radar data for forest type identification, degradation and deforestation mapping.

Our interventions include designing systems for assessment of forest health across types and landscapes, building human and institutional capacity, developing and deploying improved scientific methods for carbon inventory and reference baselines, actively engaging stakeholders, facilitating public private partnerships in the forestry sector and developing pilot voluntary community based REDD+ projects across four chosen landscapes in India.

IORA with GIZ India is developing a REDD+ARR Methodology as per Verified Carbon Standard. This Methodology can be used for developing REDD+ projects in those landscapes facing mosaic deforestation and degradation, such as India.

The key tasks involved in developing a REDD+ Methodology include analyzing the diverse factors affecting forest stock and ensuring that these factors are easily captured by a project developer without compromising on accuracy or precision. Various aspects including mapping of drivers and agents of forest change, development of baselines, quantification of emissions from pools, stakeholder engagements and establishment of monitoring structures are explicitly detailed in this Methodology. This Methodology tries to tap into existing data sources to help project developers bring down transaction costs while developing REDD+ projects efficiently.

IORA, in collaboration with TERI, developed a community-based forest conservation project with emphasis on livelihood benefits from sustainable land use practices in the PKR(Phenstunyu Khenyu Rumesinyu) Reserve in Nagaland. The project aimed to improve rural livelihood through sustainable management of forest, forest conservation, and enhancement of forest carbon stock and production of long-term verifiable voluntary emission reductions by carbon sequestration. The interventions have resulted in reduced pressure on natural resources in the community reserve forest land.The project also studied potential markets for carbon and other ecosystems services to benefit Nagaland’s communities. The project was developed using the Plan Vivo Standard.

IORA peer-reviewed the report on UNEP’s International Resource Panel Working Group on REDD+ which is a concise summary of the elements necessary for integrating REDD+ into a Green Economy. It provides policy makers with innovative ideas for supporting economic development while maintaining or increasing forest cover and alleviating poverty.

IORA, in partnership with the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), conducted a capacity building and REDD+ project identification exercise for all the States in North-eastern India. The exercise resulted in enhanced knowledge of REDD+ amongst the State Forest Department (SFD) officials and identification of several potential projects.

IORA partnered with and received support from IIFM and Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), Department of Science and Technology (DST), GoI for the project “Analyzing Forest Carbon Accounts for Sustainable Policy Option with Special Reference to Livelihood Issues”. The project evaluated the livelihood options of forest-dependent communities and forest ecosystem services, and developed models to trace correlations between rural livelihoods and the carbon stock of surrounding forests.

IORA is developing a pilot Jurisdictional REDD+ project in Assam. It will enable a successful integration of sustainable forest management interventions with special emphasis on income generation and livelihood security of forest dependent communities.

IORA will assist in setting up an interdepartmental REDD+ Cell and a departmental REDD+ Task Force in the State. IORA will also conduct socio-economic, ecological and Land Use and Land Cover analyses to develop a REDD+ baseline. The monitoring plan will be developed after elaborate consultations with stakeholders. All these activities will culminate in the development of a Jurisdictional REDD+ project with an appropriate design so as to leverage national and international financing. IORA will also train forest department personnel on REDD+ activities. This shall enable the state to take over the management of the project post exit of consulting support of the REDD+ project.