First Phase Implementation of REDD+ Registers Encouraging Success

Addis Ababa, November 24/2023(ENA)- The first phase implementation of REDD+ investment program in Ethiopia has achieved encouraging successes, Ethiopian Forestry Development disclosed.  

REDD+ stands for countries' efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

The REDD+ Investment Program (RIP) in Ethiopia is a national program that focuses on areas providing most opportunity for emission reduction from reduced deforestation and forest degradation and enhancement of carbon stocks through sustainable forest management and afforestation and reforestation initiatives. 

Ethiopia has implemented the first phase of the program over the past five years with the objective to lower deforestation and increase afforestation though various mechanisms. 

After completion of the first phase of the project, REDD+ Investment Program Phase two has been launched this month to be implemented until 2026 with 25 million USD obtained from the Norwegian government.  

REDD+ Investment Program Phase II is believed to contribute to Ethiopia’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets of emission reduction, increased forest cover, and increased GDP.

In an exclusive interview with ENA National REDD+ Coordinator at the Ethiopian Forestry Development, Yitebitu Moges said over the past years, Ethiopia has achieved quite a lot, in terms of conversation and restoration and overall environmental rehabilitation and protection. 

As part of the program implementation, communities were granted the responsibility to protect forests in and around their surroundings, he said noting that over 100 thousand people have been supported to benefit from the forestry restoration activities. 

"What we have achieved as an impact is we have reduced deforestation. It has been dramatically reduced in this country, which is a great achievement," he said.

This reduction of deforestation actually brought money to the country through emission reduction-carbon trading. "So, we expect quite a lot of money from this emission reduction, the coordinator" added.  

Yitebitu further stated that the program has so far been supported by the governments of Norway and USA "but now we need additional development partners to come". 

Norway is also trying to bring on board other countries like  Sweden and Denmark in this regard, he added. 

Improvement of livelihoods, technological capacity development, conversation and restoration of forests and overall environmental rehabilitation and protection are among the outcomes expected from phase two of the project. 

Ethiopia recognizes the importance of the forest sector for its economic, social and ecological benefits which makes a significant contribution to the country’s long-term development goals and towards meeting international commitments. 

Information showed that Ethiopia’s forest coverage has jumped over 17 percent due to massive tree seedlings planting carried out through the Green Legacy Initiative. The country  has so far planted 32.5 billion seedlings over the past five years through this initiative.  

It is also indicated that forestry is among the four pillars of the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy of Ethiopia which aims to reduce national emissions by 50 percent by 2030. 

In this regard, the national REDD+ program, has been identified by the government as one of the four fast-track programs for realizing the green economy vision. It is also the major instrument for achieving emission reduction in the forest sector for the Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy.

On the launching of the 2nd phase REDD+ program, Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente stated that forests provide food, wood, fodder and medicinal plants. 

"Our biodiversity-rich forest ecosystems are the sources of freshwater that they control floods, prevent soil erosion, reduce sedimentation of dams and regulate the climate."