Workshop on Finn funded Deforestation and Forest Degradation research

A workshop to discuss a report aiming for technical assistance in the Development of the National REDD programme (United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries) for Vietnam was organised at the ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on 27^th September.

The study was funded by the Finnish government through the Embassy of Finland in Hanoi and is hoped to form a basis for Vietnam to make decision related to REDD. Indirectly, the research project has also contributed to reshaping the national forest statistics in Vietnam.

Supporting the forestry sector in Vietnam has been an essential part of Finnish development aid to Vietnam since late 1990’s. However, the link between forestry and climate change and forest information systems in particular, is a fairly new focus area for Finland. As such, supporting a major short term consultancy on establishing REDD reference scenarios is a clear indication of the new ways Finland aims to support the development of Vietnamese forestry sector.

The discussed research was carried out by Nordic Agency for Development and Ecology (NORDECO) and Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI). The research team collected information and analysed trends of forest resources and forest carbon stock for the establishment of Interim Baseline Reference Scenarios.

The workshop, chaired by Mr. Max von Bonsdorff, head of development cooperation at the Embassy of Finland in Hanoi, and Dr. Nguyen Ba Ngai, Deputy Director General of the Directorate  of Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was attended by experts from various local and international organizations and government bodies. The main aim of the workshop was to present the results of the research and its implications and perspectives, as well as to give feedback to the drafting and research team to ensure best possible end result. 

 The final report is expected to be available in early October.