Launch of the GCF readiness activities in the Republic of the Congo
The Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Republic of the Congo (MTE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have launched a technical assistance project to strengthen the country’s readiness efforts towards the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Hosted in Brazzaville, the launching event gathered more than forty participants representing various ministries, civil society, technical and financial partners, indigenous peoples and the private sector. The meeting presented an outline of the technical assistance project and enabled discussions on the various activities and feasibility studies that will be launched.
In his opening speech, Mr Roch Mpassi Moumpassi, the Director-General of Sustainable Development of the MTE, stressed the importance of this project for boosting the country’s actions on climate change, particularly as a tool that will allow the implementation of the National REDD+ Investment Plan.
The meeting allowed FAO experts to present various feasibility studies that are envisaged during the project, including a study to identify the technical and economic feasibility of income-generating alternatives for areas bordering peatlands.
Philippe Crête, FAO’s REDD+ Climate Finance Expert, said that the GCF readiness project would support the country in defining its GCF funding priorities with accredited entities and stakeholders, notably by conducting targeted consultations with different stakeholder groups, including women, indigenous peoples and the private sector.
Vidalie Jean-Frédérique Andea, the GCF focal point at the MTE, recalled that Congo Basin peatlands cover 145,000 million km2 and form a rich carbon reservoir that must be preserved by establishing sustainable activities that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. He also noted that the country is already working on a concept note for the GCF project in collaboration with the UN Environment and FAO to ensure the sustainable management and monitoring of the country’s extensive peatlands.
The workshop concluded with a Working Group consultation session, which allowed the participants to express their recommendations to FAO experts in order to better guide the feasibility studies that will be launched over the next few weeks.
For more information, please contact
Philippe Crête
REDD + and Climate investment Expert,
REDD+/National Forest Monitoring Cluster
FAO Forestry Department