GMES Service Element for Forest Monitoring REDD in Congo Basin: Presentation of Side Event at COP17 in Durban, 2011

The GMES Service Element on Forest Monitoring (GSE FM) which has been led by GAF AG since 2003 has aimed at providing operational forest services to the forest user community by including them in the design and implementation of the services. One of the main evolving policy segments that the GSE FM supports is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) post-Kyoto Protocol policy process "Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation" (REDD). The European Space Agency (ESA) supported GSE FM REDD  programme in the Congo Basin region is being implemented by GAF AG and partners from 2009-2012. The main objective of the GSE FM REDD Extension in the Republic of Congo and Gabon is to set up pre-operational Earth-Observation (EO) based forest monitoring systems within the REDD framework. Due to the progress made to date on implementing the project activities and the contributions of the project to the national REDD+ process in the Republic of Congo, the Congolese Government in partnership with GAF AG has decided to host a specific REDD+ Side Event at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) 17 which will take place in Durban. S. Africa in December 2011. The Republic of Congo REDD+ Day has the main objective to enhance and intensify the international visibility of the Republic of Congo's REDD+ process. Key issues that will be presented include, the national REDD+ vision and activities that have been undertaken at national level for the institutionalization of a REDD+ framework as well as the development of technical methods to support the process. Methodological accomplishments from the GSE FM REDD, with emphasis on the application of EO data for the estimation of deforestation in the scope of the National Forest Cover Monitoring project will be presented. The event will take place under the high patronage of the Minister of Sustainable Development, Forest Economy and Environment, H. E. M. Henri Djombo.