FCPF Information and Materials

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is a global partnership of governments, development partners, private sectors, scientists, IPs and civil society focused on REDD+ (Reducing of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) in developing countries. The FCPF assists tropical and subtropical forest countries in developing the systems and policies for REDD+ and provides them with performance-based payments for emission reductions. The FCPF contributes to demonstrating how REDD+ can be applied at the country level.

The objectives of the FCPF are to: a) assist countries in their REDD+ efforts by providing them with financial and technical assistance in building their capacity to benefit from possible future systems of positive incentives for REDD+; b) pilot performance-based payments system for REDD+ activities, with a view to ensuring equitable benefit-sharing and promoting future large-scale positive incentives for REDD+; c) test ways to sustain or enhance livelihoods of local communities and conserve biodiversity; and d) to disseminate lessons learned.

Structure and Governance. To support these objectives, FCPF has set up two separate mechanisms: i) a REDD+ Readiness Fund – relating to technical assistance and capacity building for REDD+, and ii) a Carbon Fund – relating to pilot performance-based incentive programs for REDD+. Once a country graduates the Readiness Fund, and its emission reduction program is approved, it can access the Carbon Fund. There are 47 countries globally (18 in Africa, 18 in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 11 in Asia-Pacific) that are receiving readiness support through the FCPF Readiness Fund. The partnership relies on an effective and inclusive governance structure, with the participants’ assembly and the participants’ committee at its core. The World Bank assumes the functions of trustee and secretariat. The World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme are delivery partners under the Readiness Fund and responsible for providing REDD+ readiness support services to distinct countries. To ensure a uniform set of safeguard standards, the common approach to environmental and social safeguards for multiple delivery partners was approved at the ninth FCPF PC meeting.

Southern CSOs and Local Communities in the FCPF: Rationale for Engagement. Forest-dependent CSOs and LCs, because of their knowledge about forests and their presence on the ground for protection and monitoring, are key to the success of REDD+. Forest dependent peoples are often the age-old stewards of forest ecosystems, living in and depending on forests. At the same time, these peoples and communities are vulnerable if REDD+ is poorly designed and/or implemented. These reasons call for effective participation of local communities and CSOs working at local and national level to effectively implement a REDD+ program. Furthermore, the UNFCCC CoP16 decision on REDD+ has called for the full and effective participation of “indigenous peoples and local communities” and the need to respect their traditional knowledge and rights, thus highlighting the importance of CSOs local communities’ engagement in REDD+ process. Their points of engagement with the FCPF are: i) through direct dialogues; ii) through self-selected observers to the differed FCPF governance bodies; iii) as member of technical advisory panels; iv) through special initiatives; v) through the Capacity Building Program; and vi) as member of National REDD+ institutions.

Find more information on Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF).