UN-REDD Programme

UN-REDD Programme

Summary

Three UN agencies – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – have collaborated in the establishment of the UN-REDD Programme, a multi-donor trust fund that allows donors to pool resources and provide funding with the aim of significantly reducing global emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. Since the programme was launched in 2008, the UN-REDD Programme has been supporting 65 partner countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and has been the largest international provider of REDD+ readiness assistance in terms of funding, expertise and geographical scope.

Basic Description

Name of the Fund UN-REDD Programme
Official Fund Website http://www.un-redd.org/
Date Created
Date fund proposed: June 2008.
Date fund made operational: September 2008.
Proposed Life of Fund The UN-REDD Programme was established in 2008, with its first formal strategy covering 2011–2015. A subsequent strategic framework guided its activities from 2016–2020. As of April 2025, the UN-REDD Programme has not specified a definitive closure date. The Programme is currently in its 2022–2025 technical assistance phase, with plans underway for the 2026–2030 strategy.
Objectives As of April 2025, the UN-REDD Programme is guided by its 2021–2025 strategic framework, which aims to implement forest solutions addressing the climate emergency by avoiding carbon emissions and supporting carbon sequestration of at least 5 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year.
The Programme focuses on four key outcomes:

  1. Forest Solutions Realised: Implementing REDD+ investment plans and accelerating forest landscape restoration
  2. Forest Solutions Rewarded: Facilitating access to results-based finance and promoting deforestation-free commodity supply chains
  3. Enhanced Ambition: Supporting countries in integrating REDD+ into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement
  4. Connecting Actors and Knowledge: Fostering partnerships and knowledge sharing to scale up forest-based climate solutions.

Looking ahead, the Programme is developing its 2026–2030 strategy, aiming to further support countries in achieving systemic and transformative changes in governance, policies, and incentives in the forest and land sector to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
Financial inputs and fund size As of November 2024, the total source of funds amounts to approximately USD 436 million in pledges, of which USD 400 million has been delivered.
The contributors are: Norway, the European Union, Denmark, Spain, Japan, Luxembourg and Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The contributions from donor countries are included as official development assistance (ODA).
Activities Supported As of April 2025, the UN-REDD Programme has transitioned from its initial structure of separate National/Country and Global Programmes to an integrated framework.
Key activities supported by the UN-REDD Programme (2021-2025) include:

  • Implementing REDD+ Investment Plans: support for national planning, cross-sector coordination, and aligning REDD+ with recovery and development goals
  • Restoring Forest Landscapes: assistance for reforestation, sustainable forest management, and ecosystem resilience
  • Promoting Deforestation-Free Supply Chains: reforming commodity production and finance to eliminate deforestation from key value chains
  • Strengthening Forest Monitoring Systems: technical support for countries to track emissions, manage forest data, and improve transparency
  • Safeguarding Social and Environmental Standards: help in developing safeguard systems and ensuring Indigenous and community engagement
  • Facilitating Access to Climate Finance: guidance to meet requirements and secure payments for verified emission reductions
  • Building Knowledge and Capacity: sharing tools, training, and expertise; enabling South-South learning and institutional strengthening.

Administrating Organization

Secretariat or Administrative Unit The UN-REDD Programme has its own Secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Head of the Secretariat is appointed by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The Secretariat’s responsibilities include:

  • Developing and implementing results-based planning
  • Monitoring and reporting tools across the breadth of the Programme
  • Supporting adaptive management tools
  • Reporting achievements to both internal and external audiences
  • Drawing lessons from implementation.
Trustee The UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office provides the funding administration to the UN-REDD Programme.

Fund Finance and Access Modalities

Conditions and Eligibility Requirements As of April 2025, the UN-REDD Programme has updated its eligibility requirements for countries seeking support for National Programmes. While the Programme’s foundational principles remain, the criteria have evolved to align with current strategic objectives.
The updated eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • UN-REDD Partner Country Status: the country must be recognised as a partner country of the UN-REDD Programme
  • Alignment with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): proposed REDD+ initiatives should be integrated into the country’s NDCs under the Paris Agreement, demonstrating a commitment to national climate goals
  • Potential for High-Integrity Emission Reductions: the country should exhibit significant potential to achieve measurable and verifiable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the forest sector
  • Social and Environmental Safeguards: a commitment to adhering to strict social and environmental safeguards is required, ensuring the protection of biodiversity and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities
  • Capacity for Implementation: demonstrated capacity of national institutions and the ability to effectively coordinate with UN agencies for the successful implementation of REDD+ initiatives
  • Commitment to UN-REDD Programme Principles: a formal commitment to the principles outlined by the UN-REDD Programme, including transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability.

Access to the UN-REDD Programme is not restricted to ODA eligible countries.
Accessing the Fund
Access Modalities – While programmes under the UN-REDD Programme are implemented by FAO, UNDP and/or UNEP, the UN-REDD Programme is not an exclusive UN mechanism. National governments, regional development banks and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can receive funding through one of the participating UN organisations by acting as executing agencies.
Financial Instruments – Grants.
Accreditation process – In the UN-REDD Programme, countries develop a National Programme Document (NPD) in collaboration with FAO, UNDP, and UNEP focal points. This document outlines the country’s REDD+ readiness plans and the support required from UN agencies. The NPD is submitted to the UN-REDD Programme Policy Board for review and funding approval. After incorporating feedback from the Policy Board and stakeholders, the finalised NPD is signed by authorised representatives from the national government, UN Resident Coordinator, and the participating UN agencies. The signed NPD is then submitted to the Administrative Agent, typically the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, which disburses the approved funds to the participating UN organisations for implementation.
Overview of implementing entities – The implementing entities are the participating UN organisations, namely the FAO, UNDP and UNEP.
Nature of recipient country involvement – National actions are identified and led by the host government and supported by the UN Country team.

Governments have a prominent role during the whole National Programme cycle:

  1. they manage the preparation of the National Programme
  2. they sign the final National Programme document before it is transmitted to the Secretariat for consideration
  3. they appoint a national focal point for the coordination and implementation of the activities under the Programme.

In addition, and in line with the principle of strong country ownership and shared and common decision-making, country programme oversight is undertaken by a National Steering Committee.
The UN-REDD Programme aims to enable countries to exercise operational and fiduciary responsibility for the programme and ensures that national systems and national institutions are being used wherever possible.
Allocation criteria – As of April 2025, the UN-REDD Programme has evolved its strategic framework and funding allocation criteria to better address the current challenges in reducing deforestation and forest degradation. While the Programme continues to prioritise support for partner countries committed to implementing REDD+ strategies, the specific criteria for funding allocations have been updated to align with its 2021–2025 Strategy.
Key considerations for funding allocations now include:

  • Alignment with NDCs: Preference is given to countries whose REDD+ initiatives are integrated into their NDCs, demonstrating a commitment to national climate goals
  • Potential for High-Integrity Emission Reductions: Emphasis is placed on initiatives that can deliver significant, measurable, and verifiable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the forest sector
  • Social and Environmental Integrity: Projects must adhere to strict social and environmental safeguards, ensuring the protection of biodiversity and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities
  • Access to Results-Based Payments (RBPs): Support is provided to countries aiming to meet eligibility requirements for accessing RBPs from various sources, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Safeguards, Gender and Indigenous Peoples
Safeguards – The UN-REDD Programme’s Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria (SEPCs) outline seven overarching principles and 24 specific criteria for safeguarding against unintended negative impacts of REDD+ implementation. The principles encompass democratic governance; stakeholder rights; sustainable livelihoods; compatibility with low-carbon development strategies and national commitments; protection of natural forest from degradation and conversion; maintenance/enhancement of forest functions; and the avoidance of adverse impacts of non-forest ecosystem services. They encompass a number of UN policies and declarations.
The UN-REDD Programme has produced programme guidelines to help national recipient countries adhere to some of the SEPC criteria. There is also emphasis on the transparent, equitable and accountable management of REDD+ funds. UN-REDD and the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), as well as the Forest Investment Program (FIP) are working together to maximise the harmonisation of their safeguard guidelines and procedures so that REDD+ implementation is as efficient as possible in countries where multiple programmes are active. Additionally, the Programme has developed the Benefits and Risks Tool (BeRT) to help countries identify and mitigate potential benefits and risks associated with REDD+ actions.
Gender – Gender equality is identified as “particularly significant in order to ensure that the outcomes and outputs of the Programme will achieve the desired results”. In fact, the UN-REDD Programme presents gender equality and women’s empowerment as catalysts for reaching sustainable development, including in REDD+.
To institutionalise this commitment, the Programme has developed comprehensive strategies, including the UN-REDD Methodological Brief on Gender, aimed at ensuring that REDD+ actions are inclusive, fair, and gender-responsive in both policy and practice.
All documents related to UN-REDD Programme’s actions for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment are available at: https://www.un-redd.org/work-areas/gender-equality
Indigenous Peoples – Incorporated in the UN-REDD Programme’s Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria (SEPCs), Criterion 4 aims to “ensure the full and effective participation of relevant stakeholders in design, planning and implementation of REDD+ activities, with particular attention to Indigenous Peoples, local communities and other vulnerable and marginalized groups”.
Recipient countries are also expected to adhere to UN human rights obligations, including the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) which includes provisions relating to the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
In addition, the Programme has a partnership with the GEF Small Grants Programme to deliver grants directly to Indigenous Peoples. Named the “Community-based REDD+”, this fund supports community-level projects that complement UN-REDD National Programmes, national REDD+ readiness processes and/or strategies. For more details see: https://www.un-redd.org/projects/community-based-redd

Fund Governance

Decision Making Structure The UN-REDD Programme operates under governance arrangements established for the 2021–2025 period. Below is an overview of the current structures:
Executive Board

  • Role and Responsibilities: The Executive Board provides general oversight of the Programme, making decisions on fund allocations and offering operational guidance. It convenes annually or more frequently as needed
  • Composition: The Board comprises representatives from donors, partner countries, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organisations (CSOs), participating UN agencies, and the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office.

Assembly

  • Role and Responsibilities: The Assembly acts as a broad multi-stakeholder forum to foster consultation, dialogue, and knowledge exchange among UN-REDD stakeholders
  • Composition: Includes representatives from donors, partner countries, national and international Indigenous Peoples and CSOs, related international programmes and funds (e.g., FCPF, FIP, GCF, GEF), the private sector, and the three participating UN agencies.

National Steering Committees

  • Role and Responsibilities: These committees facilitate strong country ownership and shared decision-making for National REDD+ Programmes. They oversee day-to-day management, coordinate national REDD+ activities, ensure government-wide responses, and integrate REDD+ into national development planning
  • Composition: Typically includes government representatives, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples.

Multi-Party Trust Fund Office

  • Role and Responsibilities: Serving as the Administrative Agent for the UN-REDD Programme Fund, the MPTF Office manages the distribution of resources and oversees financial operations.

These governance structures are designed to ensure inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, and effective participation of all key stakeholders in the UN-REDD Programme.
Accountability Mechanisms Evaluation
Each participating UN organisation assumes full programmatic and financial accountability for the funds disbursed to it by the Administrative Agent and establishes a separate ledger account for the receipt and administration of the funds disbursed to it by the Administrative Agent.
The UN-REDD Programme employs a comprehensive Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Framework for 2021–2025, which includes detailed indicators, baselines, targets, and means of verification to systematically assess performance. This framework emphasises flexibility, accessibility, and incorporates both qualitative and quantitative assessments.
In addition to Annual Reports that provide narrative and financial information on progress, achievements, challenges, and contingency measures, the Programme also produces Semi-Annual Progress Updates to offer more frequent insights into implementation status.
Furthermore, the Programme commissions independent external evaluations to assess the effectiveness and impact of its activities, such as the Formative Review conducted in 2024, which provided valuable insights into the Programme’s progress and areas for improvement.
Grievance Mechanisms
In 2015, the UN-REDD Programme, in collaboration with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), developed a Guidance Note to assist REDD+ countries in establishing and strengthening Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs). This note offers a structured approach to enhancing in-country capacities for grievance resolution during the REDD+ readiness phase. Building upon this foundation, the UN-REDD Programme has underscored the importance of national-level GRMs, encouraging participating countries to establish or strengthen these mechanisms as integral components of their REDD+ institutional frameworks.
These national mechanisms are designed to be accessible to all stakeholders, particularly marginalised and vulnerable groups, from the earliest stages of REDD+ implementation. Additionally, the Programme has been developing a global-level accountability mechanism to address grievances from individuals and communities affected by its activities, aiming to ensure a transparent and effective process for grievance resolution.
Participation of Observers and Stakeholders The UN-REDD Programme’s governance arrangements for the 2021–2025 period are designed to ensure the full and effective participation of all key stakeholders, including partner countries, donors, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organisations (CSOs), and participating UN agencies.
The Programme emphasises that stakeholder engagement goes beyond integrating diverse views; it aims to craft partnerships, achieve consensus, and develop inclusive policies and processes that make REDD+ transformational, achievable, and enduring. Stakeholders participate in decision-making through their representation in the Executive Board, the Assembly, and the National Steering Committees. The Executive Board includes permanent observer seats for Indigenous Peoples and civil society, ensuring their active involvement in strategic decisions.
Additionally, the UN-REDD Programme has collaborated with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) to develop harmonised guidelines on stakeholder engagement, providing operational guidance for the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities in REDD+ readiness activities.
Transparency and Information Disclosure The UN-REDD Programme publishes annual and semi-annual programme progress reports.
Regarding real-time funding administration, the Programme utilises the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office Gateway, which provides transparent, real-time data on fund contributions, allocations, and expenditures.
Detailed information on individual projects can be found at: https://www.un-redd.org/our-work/projects The public disclosure policies of the three collaborating UN agencies of the UN-REDD Programme are available here:
Other Issues Raised