REDD Readiness Requires Radical Reform: Prospects for making the big changes needed to prepare for REDD-plus in Ghana

The Forests Dialogue (TFD) has recently released the summary report from a  dialogue on REDD-plus Readiness in Ghana. The report is titled “REDD Readiness Requires Radical Reform: Prospects for making the big changes needed to prepare for REDD-plus in Ghana.” You can download the report and related materials on http://environment.yale.edu/tfd/dialogue/forests-and-climate/second-redd-readiness-field-dialogue/.

'The REDD-plus field dialogue was held in Ghana’s Western Region and the dialogue process engaged nearly 50 leaders from a broad spectrum of Ghanaian government and civil society, as well as stakeholders from 13 countries. The Ghana dialogue's co-chairs - James Mayers, Stewart Maginnis and Emelia Arthur - also authored the report.

The report summarizes the outcomes of the Ghana dialogue including:
• the context and status of REDD-plus in Ghana;
• lessons applicable to Ghana from other international and local experiences;
• the challenges and ways forward for REDD-plus readiness in Ghana as identified via the dialogue.

The report concludes with a list of suggested key actions that different stakeholder groups need to consider for REDD-plus to work in Ghana. TFD is working with our local and international partners to ensure that the findings from this report are presented to key stakeholders in Ghana and that local stakeholders are collaborating to address the issues identified.

Through our REDD-plus Readiness Initiative, TFD seeks common ground among national and international stakeholders, to identify key challenges and foster a community of practice among stakeholders in several REDD countries. Ultimately our goal is to contribute to the on-going discussions over the global and national development and implementation of REDD-plus in an effort to “get REDD right”. In the last 10 months, we have convened dialogues in Brazil, Ghana, Guatemala and Ecuador. Similar reports from the TFD to the Ghana report will be forthcoming highlighting those countries soon.