The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) calls for a phased approach to REDD+ at the national level, with subnational elements, and the participation of all relevant stakeholders in the development and implementation of national strategies and action plans. A broad and inclusive participation of stakeholders in national REDD+ programmes can help to ensure the sharing of responsibilities and benefits, in addition to strengthening ownership of implementing and monitoring REDD+ actions.

Participatory carbon monitoring (PCM) is presented here as an approach to improve the vertical and horizontal institutional integration of different stakeholders for carbon accounting within a country’s national REDD+ programme. This document aims to guide national stakeholders involved in the REDD+ readiness process in understanding: a) what a PCM approach is, and what are potential and limitations involved (Section 1); and b) how to organise stakeholders and operationalize carbon accounting within a PCM approach for national REDD+ programmes (Section 2). PCM applications for REDD+ other than carbon accounting – safeguard compliance; low-emissions development planning; benefit sharing; and monitoring REDD+ policies and measures – are also introduced but not elaborated on in this document.

The document describes roles and key functional tasks for a participatory carbon monitoring approach to four distinct stakeholder groups: national government institutions, subnational government institutions, local stakeholders (including local communities), and non-government institutions and private sector.

Read the publication here: LEAF technical guidance series: Operational guidance for national REDD+ carbon accounting