UN-REDD MONGOLIA NATIONAL PROGRAM
Terms of Reference

ESTABLISHMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND LOCAL COMMUNITY FORUM FOR REDD+
“Forrest-Sustainable Development Council”

1.0 Background

As a signatory to both the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, in 1992) and the Kyoto Protocol (1997), Mongolia is fully aware of the causes and potential impacts of climate change. Mongolia is therefore striving to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while maintaining its path of economic development.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC has taken a number of decisions to encourage developing country Parties to take climate change mitigation actions related to the forestry sector. These measures relate to ‘policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries’, known as “REDD+”.

The Government of Mongolia has recently committed to a green development path, notably through the creation of the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism (MEGDT), and the preparation and approval of the Green Development Policy and Mid-Term Programme. REDD+ has the potential to contribute to green development by protecting global environmental resources (forest carbon stocks and biodiversity), helping to reverse land degradation, promoting the improvement of rural livelihoods and aiding adaptation to climate change.

To support this effort, the UN-REDD Mongolia National Programme was established to provide technical assistance to the Government of Mongolia in designing and implementing its National REDD+ Strategy and in meeting the requirements under the UNFCCC Warsaw Framework to receive REDD+ results-based payments.    The Mongolia National Programme will support the development of four key components requited for REDD+:

  1. National REDD+ Strategy
  2. Forest Reference Level
  3. National Forest Monitoring System
  4. Safeguard Information System

The National REDD+ Strategy will enable the Government of Mongolia to formulate a strategic plan which will aim at maintaining and enhancing forest stocks, implementing sustainable forest management and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The strategy will enhance national forest monitoring systems and the countries international reporting in greenhouse gas emissions, it improves stakeholder participation in policy making and ensures that social and environmental safeguards are formulated. In Mongolia, the maintenance and protection of forest stocks is vital towards supporting Green Development Strategy and Sustainable Development Visions, and in supporting the country towards reporting its Sustainable Development Goals. As part of the REDD+ readiness phase whereby a National Strategy will be developed, it is important to ensure that consultation and participatory mechanisms are in place, which incorporates feedback and issues from civil society which should be clearly articulated and mainstreamed to the draft REDD policies and the national REDD+ strategy.

2.0 Objectives

In order to facilitate this social inclusion in the policy development process a Civil Society Forum will be established which will contribute towards the inclusion and participation of civil society feedback and concerns.

The MET together with the UN-REDD Mongolia National Programme seek to establish a CSO forum with its members drawn from governance, social & environmental non-government organizations, and from local community to:

  • Propose a framework to assist civil society stakeholders to self-identify their representation and establish a CSO Forum, and to coordinate it with existing forums in the related field; and
  • Establish appropriate link between the CSO Forum, PEB, PMU, and Technical Working Groups.
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3.0 Scope of Work for Civil Society Organization (CSO) Forum

The CSO Forum is expected to be independent from the PMU, PEB and Technical Working Groups. Broadly, the forum is expected to review policy and strategy recommendations posed by the PMU and recommend solutions and options, especially with regards the impacts on civil society stakeholders, in particular:

  1. To raise concerns of the civil society stakeholders, in particular, on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks for further discussion at the national level; and
  2. To strengthen and empower CSO/NGO network members and build their capacity for engaging in REDD+ related policies and practice;
  3. To strengthen the CSO/NGO Network members for working with international donors, and to improve capacity for engagement with future REDD+ or forest programs with international funding
  4. Ensure that the rights of local and forest-dependent communities are being protected and benefit from REDD+ projects
  5. To communicate and prime? recienedations? of the network
  6. To ensure that gender and ethnic minority (indigenous people) issues are incorporated into the REDD+ National Action plan through discourse, policy recommendations and communication.

Additional roles, responsibilities and coordination/financing mechanisms should be identified by the members of the CSO Forum.

4.0 Membership

The CSO forum will consist from 18 members. The CSO forum will be chaired by a nominee from with the forum members, it will be facilitated by the PMU. There will be two members selected who will sit on the PEB and the TWG Policies.

Forest User Group

  1. Eldev-Ochir.V, Eleet Undur’ Forest User Group Leader, Darkhan-Uul province
  2. S, Ikh khuvch’ Forest User Group, Bugant tosgon, Yeruu soum, Selenge province
  3. R, ‘Ikh Buyan’ Forest User Group Leader, Bat-Ulzii soum, Uvurkhangai province
  4. D, Ochirzaya’ Forest User Group, Zavkhan Province

Local community

  1. D, ‘Blue Water’ NGO, Executive Board Member, Khuvsgul province;
  2. Suvd-Erdene.J, Head, ‘ White Shore-Green Gold’ NGO, Uvs province
  3. T, Great Idea’ LLC, Economic Entity, Mungunmorit soum, Tuv province
  4. B, State, Citizen and Partnership’ NGO, Orkhon province
  5. Ch, Head, ‘Forest User Groups’ Federation of the River Onon’ NGO, Khentii province

CSO

  1. Khishigsuren, “Orkhon 21 century NGO
  2. G, ‘Client Database’ NGO
  3. L, Environment and Health Centre’ NGO
  4. A, Head, ‘Tuva mother’ NGO

NGO

  1. D, Mongolian Forest and Wood Production Entrepreneurs Association
  2. G, Mongolian Foresters’ Federation’ NGO
  3. Boldbaatar Z, PEB member, ‘Civil Council of Mongolian Environment’ NGO
  4. N, Federation of Conserving Mongolian Environment’ NGO
  5. D, ‘National Association of Community Based Organizations for Environmental Conservation and Green Development’ NGO

Financial support

Financial support for the Forest-Sustainable Development Council are:

  • When meetings and workshops organized in Ulaanbaatar city or at the local level necessary DSA for the members will be provided by UN-REDD Mongolia National Programme

Responsibilities for the membership

  • Member responsible to disseminate REDD+ related information to related institutions or at the local level
  • Member responsible to participate in Forest-Sustainable Development Council’s activities, if simultaneously 3 times or more not actively participating in Council’s activities, Council can take related actions.
CSO & Feedback Forum