Federal REDD Technical Working Group (RTWG)
I. Background
The Government of Ethiopia has developed a Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy. The CRGE vision aims to build a climate resilient green economy and to make the country carbon neutral by 2025. The Strategy identifies eight key sectors that play key roles in sustainable development: Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), soils, livestock, energy, buildings and cities, industry, transport and health. To support the implementation of these priorities, the Government set up a national financial mechanism called the Ethiopia CRGE Facility under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED). The CRGE Facility is the primary mechanism to mobilize and integrate climate finance toward the broader aims of the CRGE. Sectoral ministries and other government entities, including subnational, are expected to develop Investment Plans as a means of articulating priorities and accessing the CRGE Facility (and demonstrating preparedness to international standards).
To achieve its goal in the forestry sector, the government is engaged in a REDD+ Readiness process. Since 2008, Ethiopia is an active member of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. The Government started preparation of a Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) in April 2010. The final R-PP of Ethiopia was approved in March 2011. A grant agreement to finance the implementation of the R-PP was signed between the World Bank and MoFED in October 2012.
Currently, the National REDD+ process is implementing the R-PP, of which one of the activities is the establishment of a National REDD+ Technical Working Group. This Working Group will play a key role in the successful implementation of the R-PP. For that reason, the Working Group needs to take a strong and proactive role in the process.
II. Name
The committee shall be known as the “Federal REDD+ Technical Working Group” (FRTWG).
II. Purpose and mandate
The primary mandate of the FRTWG is to advise the REDD+ implementation agencies and to help build capacity among the entities involved in REDD+ issues. These technical experts are responsible for the management of the REDD+ strategy development.
The RTWG also plays a key role in ensuring efficient and close coordination between the activities related to REDD+ and the other sectors, especially related to the activities under the “Climate Resilient Green Economy” initiative.
III. Composition
(a) The Federal REDD+ Technical Working Group (RTWG) is a multi-stakeholder group, established at the federal level. It comprises active practitioners in the REDD+ field, with representation from research, academic, government, development and NGO organizations.
(b) Each member is expected to attend meetings and to participate in committee activities. Each member is expected to study the issues which come before the committee in order to contribute effectively to the deliberations of the committee.
IV. Officials
(a) The Chairperson/Coordinator of the FRTWG will be the Policy, Strategy and Regulation Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Forest. The Chairperson shall:
i. Call regular meetings of the committee.
ii. Preside over meetings and in his absence, the Deputy Coordinator will chair the meetings.
iii. In close consultation with the REDD+ Secretariat, create agenda for each meeting and ensure its circulation.
(b) The Secretary will be National REDD+ Pilots Coordinator. The Secretary shall:
i. Take accurate minutes, including attendance records, of each committee meeting
ii. Submit draft of minutes to committee chair for review and clearance
iii. Ensure that a record of the approved minutes is filed for future reference.
V. Specific tasks if the FRTWG
• To provide technical guidance on the development and implementation of the REDD+ readiness process, including the national REDD+ Strategy, the national MRV system and the establishment of a Reference Emissions Level;
• To provide input into the Annual Working Program proposed by the REDD+ Secretariat;
• To assess and validate Terms of Reference and Final Deliverables of the main technical studies, such as the identification of Drivers of Deforestation and Strategic Options to address those, the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment, among others;
• To provide regular feedback to the REDD+ Secretariat on the progress of the REDD+ readiness process.
VI. Modus operandi
• A coordinator and a deputy coordinator should be elected at the first meeting.
• A bylaw spelling out roles, responsibilities and internal working procedures for the Working Group should be adopted at the first meeting.
• Minutes of each meeting should be prepared by the REDD+ Secretariat and cleared with the MEF administration within a week of the meeting and shared among participants and interested stakeholders.
• The Working Group shall hold meetings at least two times every Fiscal Year.
• Logistics and administrative support for each meeting will be provided by the REDD+ secretariat at MEF;
• Resources or organizing the meetings will come from the REDD+ Readiness process budget (FCPF and others).
VII. Meeting Reports
Reports on the results and recommendations of each meeting will be prepared by the Secretary and a copy forwarded to the REDD+ Secretariat for follow-up.