REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal Project - A National REDD+ Strategy and the Strategic Environment and Social Assessment for the REDD+ Mechanism in Thailand Consulting Firm (CS-6)

Agriconsulting Europe SA has signed a contract with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) of Thailand for the REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal Project - A National REDD+ Strategy and the Strategic Environment and Social Assessment for the REDD+ Mechanism in Thailand Consulting Firm (CS-6).
AESA will have to implement this challenging task within a 12 months contract and since the contract signature on the 12th of June 2019 a team of 9 experts has been mobilized to start the consultation process with all stakeholders involved.

In particular we have recruited a very experienced team leader who will coordinate the team and manage the local office in Bangkok. Experts involved covers the following sectors: Forestry, Social Development and Stakeholder Engagement, Social Safeguard, Environment, Natural Resource & Environment Economy, Forest Policy, Regulatory and Institutional framework, Communication Mapping.

Climate change is a central issue related to Thailand’s development. The country is 24th among the world’s largest GHG emitters, and is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. REDD+ is recognized by Thailand’s Government as an important initiative to reduce deforestation and forest degradation in the country. Upon officially joining the FCPF in December 2009, Government of Thailand (GOT) established a REDD+ Taskforce (TF) as an inter-ministerial and multi-sectoral committee, which included representatives from key government agencies which have importance for managing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. The Task Force is currently chaired by the Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). As guided by the Task Force, Thailand submitted a Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) to the FCPF. Following the completion of FCPF process, the World Bank, entered into the grant agreement with the Government of Thailand for US$ 3.6 million for REDD+ Readiness Preparation. The grant supports in building capacity of the government in REDD+ and conducting studies related to REDD+ readiness.
The National REDD + strategy will be one of the key REDD+ policy document that will provide overall strategic direction and guidance to REDD+ implementation in Thailand. The consortium supports the government in preparing a socially and environmentally sustainable, coherent and cost effective national REDD+ strategy.
The AESA team will assist the Government of Thailand through the REDD+ Office in DNP to analyze drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, prepare a national REDD+ Strategy for Thailand, assess social and environmental impacts of the REDD+ strategy, establish a grievance redress mechanism, and benefit sharing framework. We will work directly with the Project Executing Agency (DNP of MONRE), and collaborate closely with the Technical Working Group members, the REDD+ Task Force (TF) and other relevant development partners.