Institutional capacity building for REDD+ in the Congo Basin (PREREDD+)

Context

PREREDD+ is part of the regional initiative for sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin.

Funded by a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and administered by the World Bank, the project is implemented under the auspices of COMIFAC to strengthen the institutional capacities of member countries on REDD+ issues.

It aims to support regional coordination and improve mastery of the tools needed to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

As part of this project, ONF International was asked to contribute to component 2, specifically the drafting of allometric equations for the Congo Basin.

Activities carried out

To achieve its objectives, ONF International, in collaboration with its consortium members, carried out a series of key activities:

Development of a methodology for developing allometric equations: inventory, forest stratification, prediction tests, data collection protocol, analysis and valuation methods, all in accordance with international scientific standards (6 months).

Operationalisation of the methodology: development of operational plans, detailed definition of the roles of stakeholders (collaboration agreement with the private sector, financing agreement with national research partner institutions, collaboration with the CN-REDD for monitoring implementation) (3 months).

Capacity building for national research institutions and CN-REDDs in the development of allometric equations and data collection, as well as coordination of data collection at the regional level (18 months).

Data analysis and establishment of allometric equations, accompanied by additional capacity building (3 months).

Support for the promotion of results at national and regional levels (6 months).

Project details

In the heart of the Congo Basin, one of the planet’s largest reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon, PREREDD+ has embarked on an ambitious project: to produce reliable allometric equations to better measure the carbon stored in tropical trees. This scientific breakthrough is essential for strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems and supporting countries in the implementation of REDD+.

Led by ONF International alongside Nature+ and TEREA, the project has mobilised teams in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo and the DRC. Together, they have designed a robust methodology, trained national institutions, coordinated data collection in dense rainforests and produced equations adapted to the different types of forests in the Congo Basin.

This long-term work—from initial analysis to the promotion of results—contributes directly to a better understanding of forest carbon and strengthens countries’ capacities to implement credible, transparent and science-based climate policies.

Funding sought

Expected results

The project has led to major scientific and operational advances in carbon monitoring in the Congo Basin:

• A comprehensive, standardised methodology for developing allometric equations, in line with international standards.
• Strengthened capacities within national research institutions and REDD+ units, thanks to targeted training and ongoing support.
• A structured and harmonised database, resulting from coordinated field data collection in several countries in the Congo Basin.
• New regional allometric equations, adapted to the different types of tropical forests in the Congo Basin, improving the accuracy of carbon estimates.
• A direct contribution to strengthening MRV systems by providing reliable tools for measuring, reporting and verifying carbon.
• National and regional promotion of results, facilitating their uptake by administrations, researchers and REDD+ stakeholders.

Budget

2 520 000 €

Partners

ONFI Consortium - TEREA - Nature+ in collaboration with: 6 Forestry Ministries 2 Environment Ministries 5 CN-REDD 6 Research Institutes 6 Private Partners

Beneficiaries

National research institutions, national REDD+ units; forestry administrations of countries in the Congo Basin

Donor

GEF, the World Bank