Equatorial Guinea launches its National REDD+ Strategy
Structured around 4 sectors and 4 cross cutting issues, the Strategy aims to reduce GhG emissions by 20% by 2030, maintain the current forest cover of 93% and reduce the annual forest degradation rate from 0.9% to 0.45%.
Malabo, 7 February 2019 : Equatorial Guinea reached another milestone in its fight against climate change with the release today of its National REDD+ Strategy (NRS), backed by a Study on drivers of deforestation and forest degradation (2004-2014) and an Historical analysis of Deforestation and forest degradation (2004-2014).
The vision of the National REDD+ Strategy is to "contribute to the global fight against climate change and to the sectoral development of the country, to achieve the welfare of the people of Equatorial Guinea through REDD +, with an emphasis on competitiveness, sustainability, integrated territorial management, food security, and social and gender equity". Its concrete goals are to :
- Reduce GhG emissions from the sector of agriculture, forestry and other land uses (AFOLU) by 20% by the year 2030 (compared to 2010, in line with the reference year in the country's Nationally Determined Contribution), and by 50% for the year 2050;
- Maintain the forest area close to 93% of the national territory;
- Reduce the rate of forest degradation to 0.45% per year (from 0.9% over the 2004-2014 period);
- Strengthen the National System of Protected Areas
- Increase the area of productive forests with sustainable management plans to up to 80% for the year 2030
- Achieve sustainability and improve efficiency of the forestry and agricultural sectors; and
- Mitigate possible negative consequences on forests of future productive activities - including infrastructure- and compensate for them.
To achieve its objectives, the country plans to develop policies and measures for REDD+ structured around eight strategic axes. Four of them are sectorial : agriculture, forests, priority ecosystems, and mining, energy and infrastructure. Four are cross-cutting, to address underlying drivers: land use planning, governance, economic opportunities and knowledge. To finance this ambitious strategy, the country proposes a mixed financial framework with six potential sources that include national, international, public and private resources.
The NRS was formulated through a consultation process. Likewise, during its implementation, special emphasis will be placed on active stakeholder participation, both men and women.
The NRS reaffirms the country's commitment to a sustainable, climate-smart and inclusive approach for the management of its territory, improving productivity forestry and agriculture, as well as food and nutritional security. In addition, it aspires to be an important engine of green growth that transforms the forest sector, guides various territorial activities and helps reach the objectives related to sustainable development. This strategy is therefore consistent with the country's Horizon 2020 plan, the 2015-2025 Convergence Plan for Conservation and Sustainable Management proposed by the COMIFAC, the 2063 Agenda, the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
His Excellency Nicolás Hountondji Akapo, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests and Environment, underlined the important role of forests: "We have a great opportunity to contribute to the development of the country with an ecological model.”
The CAFI preparatory grant, implemented with FAO support, ultimately seeks to support the country to develop its the “National Investment Plan for REDD+”. Already validated nationally, the Plan, once finalized, will guide efforts to reduce forests loss and coordinate and mobilise sources of REDD+ funding under one same framework.
