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That actions complement or are consistent with the objectives of national forest programmes and relevant international conventions and agreements.
Principle AP 1: Consistency with objectives of national forest programmes
Criteria AC 1: REDD+ interventions complement the objectives under Ghana’s national forest programmes.
Indicator AQ 1a: Evidence of consistency and alignment of interventions with the objectives of national forest programmes.
Indicator AQn 1a: Number (or percentage) of Corporate Plans, HIA Management Plans, Forest Reserve Plans, District Assembly Medium Term Development Plans, Projects, etc. which complement national forest programmes.
Indicator AQn 1b: Percentage of planned actions initiated and implemented.
Principle AP 2: Consistency with objectives of international conventions and agreements applicable to REDD+ in Ghana
Criteria AC 2: REDD+ interventions are consistent with international conventions/agreements
Indicator AQ 2a: Description of how REDD+ interventions are consistent with the objectives of international convention
Indicator AQn 2a: Number of Corporate Plans, Annual Work Plans, Projects, etc. which are consistent with international conventions and agreements
Transparent and effective national forest governance structures, taking into account national legislation and sovereignty.
Principle BP 1: Transparency and effectiveness of national forest governance
Criteria BC 1: Effective and efficient REDD+ implementation at all levels, scales and contexts, shall be governed by good forest governance principles.
Indicator BQ 1a: Description and evidence of how existing frameworks and measures (eg: FGRM, BSP, etc) have been implemented.
Indicator BQn 1a: Number of grievances received and percentage addressed.
Criteria BC 2: REDD+ interventions shall strengthen national and sub-national governance structures.
Indicator BQ 2a: Description and evidence of how national and sub-national governance structures (Safeguards Governance structure, HIA Governance Board, Consortium, CREMA, etc.) are functioning.
Criteria BC 3: REDD+ interventions shall involve all affected/relevant stakeholders in decision making and give consideration to gender representation.
Indicator BQ 3a: Description and evidence of how vulnerable groups are involved in decision making.
Indicator BQn 3a: Percentage of women in decision making bodies/governance groups at all levels.
Indicator BQn 3b: Percentage of vulnerable groups (landless, elderly, aged, the youth and women) involved in decision making bodies/governance groups.
Indicator BQn 3c: Number and attendance rates of stakeholder representatives at meetings.
Indicator BQn 3d: Number of stakeholder groups/organisations represented in decision making bodies and fora.
Criteria BC 4: REDD+ interventions shall support access to information and effective communication between stakeholders about processes, risks, decisions and results/ benefits.
Indicator BQ 4a: Description of how information is requested, when and how it is provided.
Indicator BQ 4b: Description of how corruption issues are identified and addressed should be made available to the public.
Indicator BQ 4c: Policy statement on information disclosure by the REDD+ implementing entity.
Indicator BQ 4d: Description of the roles and responsibilities and contact details of NRS Staff.
Indicator BQn 4a: Percentage of adults within REDD+ project areas who have knowledge of the existence of the REDD+ project/ programme organisation.
Indicator BQn 4b: A report of the number of corruption cases received and percentage addressed.
Indicator BQn 4c: Number of information requests and percentage provided.
Indicator BQn 4d: Number of publicly accessible project information releases which are timely, frequent and thorough.
Criteria BC 5: REDD+ interventions shall be implemented through the judicious application of available human and financial resources.
Indicator BQ 5a: Document outlining the organizational structure, tasks and functions of the REDD+ implementing entities.
Indicator BQ 5b: Financial management reporting procedures outlined.
Indicator BQ 5c: Description of how REDD+ finance (readiness, implementation and results) have been spent.
Indicator BQ 5d: Description/ statistics of how project finance has been spent (internal and external annual audits, projected budgets, audited spending reports). If applicable, description of any resettlement processes that took place.
Criteria BC 6: Benefits generated by REDD+ interventions shall be distributed and accessed in a fair, transparent and equitable manner by all legitimate actors.
Indicator BQ 6a: Description of how benefits (monetary and non-monetary) are provided to identified legitimate actors and beneficiaries in the specific REDD+ intervention/PaM.
Indicator BQn 6a: Amount/number of benefits (monetary and non-monetary) provided to identified beneficiaries in the specific REDD+ intervention/PaM.
Indicator BQn 6b: Number of women accessing benefits (monetary, non-monetary), amounts received.
Indicator BQn 6c: Value of benefits and amount (if applicable) received per beneficiary.
Respect for the knowledge and rights of indigenous peoples and members of local communities, by taking into account relevant international obligations, national circumstances and laws, and noting that the United Nations General Assembly has adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Principle CP 1: Respect for local communities’ rights
Criteria CC 1: Respect for local communities’ rights.
Indicator CQ 1a: Availability of work plan or arrangement to recognize the local communities’ rights and aspirations in using forest resources.
Indicator CQ 1b: Type of technical knowledge/skills provided.
Indicator CQ 1c: Evidence of negotiation of rights of local communities in REDD+ interventions.
Indicator CQn 1a: Number of actions implemented with respect to communities rights.
Indicator CQn 1b: Number of capacity building events.
Criteria CC 2: REDD+ interventions shall be implemented through the judicious application of available human and financial resources.
Indicator CQ 2a: Description of specific community rights regarding land tenure and resource right.
Indicator CQn 2a: Number of stakeholders reached with awareness of local community rights in relation to REDD+.
Indicator CQn 5b: Number of statutory/customary rights holders in the area before and after REDD+ interventions.
Criteria CC 3: The NRS shall institute a monitoring scheme reporting (through safeguard information system) on how rights of stakeholders (local communities) are being respected and addressed.
Indicator CQ 3a: Description of political and institutional support to local communities.
Indicator CQ 3b: Availability of the monitoring scheme.
Indicator CQ 3c: Description of how stakeholders rights are monitored.
Indicator CQn 3a: Number of capacity building events.
Indicator CQn 3b: Number of statutory/customary rights holders in the area before and after REDD+ interventions.
Criteria CC 5: REDD+ interventions shall recognize the value of traditional knowledge and provide appropriate benefit for commercial use of such knowledge where appropriate.
Indicator CQ 5a: Description of how traditional knowledge has been respected/has contributed to specific REDD+ intervention implementation.
Indicator CQn 5a: List of identified REDD+ interventions based on traditional knowledge.
Indicator CQn 5b: Reports on the benefits (monetary and non-monetary) provided and how they were used.
Criteria CC 6: REDD+ intervention shall be governed by a fair and equitable benefit sharing scheme.
Indicator CQ 6a: Availability of benefit sharing plan and how it was developed.
Indicator CQn 6a: Amount of monetary and non-monetary benefit distributed to all beneficiaries.
Criteria CC 7: REDD+ Programmes shall incorporate a functional FGRM, which upholds the rights of local communities and stakeholders.
Indicator CQ 7a: Description of functional FGRM Incorporated into project documents, work plans and actions.
Criteria CC 8: REDD+ initiatives shall have in-built mechanisms for resolving potential disputes or conflict that shall arise during implementation.
Indicator CQ 8a: Availability of records of reported grievances including the resolution processes.
Indicator CQ 8b: Availability of a functional grievance redress mechanism in place.
Indicator CQ 8c: Evidence of active use of appropriate procedures or mechanisms for resolving conflicts or grievances.
Indicator CQn 8a: Number of grievances received and percentage addressed through FGRM.
Criteria CC 9: REDD+ interventions shall contribute to maintaining or enhancing the social economic wellbeing of local communities, by sharing benefit fairly with them, including for the future generations. This will include specifically incorporating a functional Benefit Sharing Plan which incentivises local communities to pursue REDD+ interventions.
Indicator CQ 9a: Evidence that vulnerable local communities were not excluded from the benefits of a specific REDD+ intervention/PaM or were not left worse off/ Description of measures ensuring their inclusion.
Indicator CQ 9b: Evidence that vulnerable groups in local communities are included in all benefits sharing of a specific REDD+ intervention/PaM.
Indicator CQn 9a: Number of communities/participants (male and female aware of fair and equitable distribution of REDD+ benefits.in the implementation of REDD+ interventions.
That actions complement or are consistent with the objectives of national forest programmes and relevant international conventions and agreements.
Principle DP 1: Effectiveness of Stakeholder Participation
Criteria DC 1: REDD+ actions shall ensure and promote recognition of the rights of local communities to inclusive participation.
Indicator DQ 1a: Description of strategy for designing, implementing and monitoring of participation activities (culturally appropriate information produced, capacity building, specific meetings organized for vulnerable groups.
Indicator DQn 1a: Number of representatives/members from community forests/associations, local communities and other vulnerable groups.
Indicator DQn 1b: Percentage of planned actions initiated and implemented.
Criteria DC 2: REDD+ interventions (policies, measures, initiatives and programs) shall ensure that at least 30% of women participate in meetings or programmes.
Indicator DQn 2a: Percentage of women participating in meetings or programmes.
Criteria DC 3: REDD+ interventions shall identify gaps and undertake the necessary capacity building measures to ensure effective participation of all stakeholders.
Indicator DQ 3a: Change in quality (range) of participation by relevant stakeholders.
Indicator DQ 3b: A proof of a process for mapping stakeholders.
Indicator DQ 3c: Documented evidence of stakeholder engagement process.
Indicator DQ 3d: Description of outcomes of stakeholder participation and how they affected the implementation of REDD.
Indicator DQ 3e: Evidence of planning and monitoring process engaging relevant stakeholders.
Indicator DQn 3a: Number of meetings held.
Indicator DQn 3b: Number of meetings held Number of participants (organised according to categories of participants).
Indicator DQn 3c: Change in extent (numbers) of participation by relevant stakeholders.
That actions are consistent with the conservation of natural forests and biological diversity, ensuring that the actions referred to in paragraph 70 of this decision are not used for the conversion of natural forests, but are instead used to incentivize the protection and conservation of natural forests and their ecosystem services, and to enhance other social and environmental benefits.
Principle EP 1: Conservation of Biodiversity and provision of environmental services
Criteria EC 1: REDD+ interventions shall enhance and promote effective strategies that maintain, conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Indicator EQ 1a: Description of how REDD+ implementation has impacted (positively and negatively) on biodiversity/natural forests in Ghana.
Indicator EQ 1b: Existence of EIA mitigation plan.
Indicator EQ 1c: EIA M&E reports for each relevant intervention area.
Indicator EQ 1c: Records of endangered, rare, threatened and endemic species in HIAs.
Indicator EQn 1a: Number of EIAs implemented.
Indicator EQn 1b: Statistics on biodiversity change in intervention areas (if feasible).
Criteria EC 2: REDD+ interventions shall prevent conversion of natural forests.
Indicator EQ 2a: Evidence (that for example remote sensing) that conversion of natural forests as defined by Ghanaian regulations have been avoided.
Criteria EC 3: REDD+ interventions shall adopt.
Indicator EQ 3a: A description of measures adopted to determine forest quality and cover.
Indicator EQn 3a: Change in quality of forest cover.
Indicator EQn 3b: Change in extent of forest cover.
Criteria EC 4: REDD+ interventions shall promote effective strategies that enhance social and environmental benefits.
Indicator EQ 4a: Information on how the implementation of the specific REDD+ intervention led to enhancement of biological, environmental, economic and social benefits.
Indicator EQ 4b: Evidence of management & monitoring plan for maintaining social and environmental services.
Indicator EQn 4a: Statistics on: jobs created, change in incomes, improved access to social services (education, healthcare).
Indicator EQn 4b: Number of training programmes provided.
Criteria EC 5: REDD+ Intervention shall give preference to indigenous species in restoring degraded forest lands.
Indicator EQ 5a: Evidence of plan incorporating indigenous species in restoration activities.
Indicator EQn 5a: Percentage of indigenous species planted in restoration activities.
Criteria EC 6: REDD+ actions shall contribute to poverty alleviation through the provision of sustainable alternative livelihoods.
Indicator EQn 6a: Statistics on: Alternative livelihood schemes implemented and improvement of income levels.
Actions to address the risks of reversals.
Principle FP 1: Address the risks of reversals
Criteria FC 1: REDD+ actions/interventions shall reduce risks of reversals through means appropriate to the scale and context, emphasizing policy and practice.
Indicator FQ 1a: Availability of a risk assessment for HIA’s on wildfires fire, encroachment, illegal logging, illegal mining and other external impacts.
Indicator FQn 1a: Number of forest offences dealt with and those pending.
Criteria FC 2: REDD+ Programme and projects shall enshrine measures to sustain gains.
Indicator FQ 2a: Availability of risk mitigation plan addressing major reversal threats.
Indicator FQn 2a: Number of risk management plans developed.
Criteria FC 3: REDD+ Programme and projects shall make provision for sustainability of gains.
Indicator FQ 3a: Availability of annual monitoring report that allows periodic assessment of risks of reversal, and recommends adaptive management steps for mitigation where necessary.
Indicator FQ 3b: Description of how measures to reduce the risk of reversals were implemented.
Indicator FQn 3a: Number of actions in risk management plans that are implemented.
Indicator FQn 3b: Number of actions implemented to prevent risks of reversal.
Actions to reduce displacement of emissions.
Principle GP 1: Reduction of Emission Displacement
Criteria GC 1: REDD+ actions shall develop and implement strategies to reduce emissions displacement within the national boundary. This includes broad-based assessments to document potential displacement of emissions and implementing actions to prevent displacement of emissions.
Indicator GQ 1a: Description of documentation on the types of emission displacement that are likely to occur outside REDD+ interventions within the national boundary.
Indicator GQ 1a: Description of monitoring strategy on forest-related emissions and carbon stock changes in HIA’s.
Indicator GQ 1c: Availability of an annual monitoring report on forest-related emissions and carbon stocks changes.
Indicator GQn 1a: Measured Verifiable Emission levels in potential displacement areas within national boundaries.
Indicator GQn 1b: Measured Verifiable Emission levels in HIAs.
Indicator GQn 1b: Rates of deforestation in neighbouring areas before and after the REDD+ intervention implementation.