Real-time evaluation of Norway’s international climate and forest initiative: Indonesia

The rationale behind Norway’s support for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) is to make a substantial contribution in the struggle against global warming. This report presents the findings of an evaluation of the support provided by Norway to the formulation and implementation of national REDD strategies and other REDD readiness efforts in Indonesia up until the end of August 2010.

The document states that:

• Norway has been by far the biggest donor for REDD+ in Indonesia
• Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) provided support in Indonesia through four main funding channels, including bilateral partnerships and multilateral mechanisms
• NICFI’s support was very well matched to Indonesia’s REDD+ strategic priorities and policies, to Indonesia’s commitment to its own emissions reductions, and to Norway’s REDD+ objectives.
  

Recommendations for the government of Indonesia, as well as NICFI, include: 

• participatory land use planning will be fundamental to achieving a REDD+ strategy that accommodates Indonesia’s sustainable development objectives, resolves conflict and protects biodiversity
• a balance needs to be struck between promoting REDD+ ownership and providing inputs and oversight
• it is necessary to provide technical assistance to support work in the pilot provinces to revise provincial spatial plans in accordance with the national REDD+ strategy
• there is a need to move towards a more direct and explicit approach to ensuring social and environmental safeguards in national policy, strategy and legislation on REDD+
• the government needs to be supported in efforts to coordinate donor activities related to all the different components of REDD+
• the development of a monitoring system for safeguards needs to be supported as well.