National Strategy for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in Liberia.

This Strategy is a nation-wide sectoral document representing a practical guide to where the greatest threats to the Liberian forest come from, how these can be avoided, and how this can be done in way that delivers jobs and incomes for the people who live on forest land. Being party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Liberia is committed to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). The aim is (i) create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to development, and (ii) offer an opportunity to support forest conservation in commercial concessions.

The document indicates several Strategic Priorities, as follows (i) reduce forest loss from pit sawing, charcoal production and shifting agriculture, (ii) reduce impact of commercial logging, (iii) complete and manage a network of Protected Areas; (iv) prevent or offset clearance of high carbon stock and high conservation value forest in agricultural and mining concessions, and (v) fair and sustainable benefits from REDD+. For each of the priorities, there is a set of Strategy Options that define more specifically how the Strategy can be achieved. However, they must be verified during the implementation phase because there is a need to try different approaches and gather evidence on their effectiveness, costs, and benefits.

To make forestry and agriculture more productive and sustainable, main actions are directed to (i) manage pit sawing (chain saw logging); (ii) reduce impact of charcoal industry on forest through better regulation, improved efficiency and the development of alternatives energy sources; (iii) increase area and productivity of non-forest land under permanent food and income crops, to reduce the expansion of shifting agriculture; (iv); locate future large-scale agriculture and mining concessions in less dense and non-forest area; (v) ensure that all industrial logging is practiced to high conservation standards, so that loss of forest and biodiversity is minimized; (vi) review Timber Sales Contracts (TSC) to ensure compliance with forestry laws and EIA standards; (vii) prevent unregulated pit sawing and charcoal production in forestry concessions; (viii) complete and expand the existing Protected Areas Network to conserve 30% of forest land; (ix) apply policy and standards for conservation of High Carbon Stock (HCS) and High Conservation Value (HCV) forest to all agricultural concessions, including large private farm; and (x) ensure that mining result in zero-net deforestation.

To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, The Strategy aims to integrate hunting, artisanal mining and forest restoration into community-led livelihood and sustainable forest management practices.

As for the Governance, it will be established a robust monitoring, reporting and verification system for demonstrating reductions in emissions achieved through REDD+ policies. In this sector, research and academic institutions have an important role to play. A strategy for addressing the capacity deficit for implementation of REDD+ consists of (i) substantial support to strengthen sub-national institutions in the targeted landscape and (ii) support for the strengthening of key national institutions, especially the REDD+ Implementation Unit and the two organizations who contribute to that unit, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).