Developing low-cost, rigorous and sustainable systems for the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of national or subnational social safeguards presents a major challenge to governments, policy makers, REDD+ implementers and other key stakeholders.

Countries are grappling with how to integrate social safeguards into national and subnational REDD+ architectures. Safeguard policies are intended to ensure that people are not harmed or made worse off by REDD+.

Results-based financing of REDD+ is conditional on the implementation of national Safeguard Information Systems (SIS) to address social and environmental criteria that go beyond carbon. The briefs in this packet discuss the challenges of operationalizing safeguards from various perspectives – governance, benefit sharing, tenure, gender, biodiversity, technical monitoring – and highlight opportunities and strategies for dealing with these challenges.

We analyzed submissions to the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) from Parties and Observer Organizations on two issues: (i) party and observer positions on inclusion of further guidance on REDD+ safeguard information systems (SIS); and (ii) developing country Party experiences and lessons learned from SIS development. We also carried out a brief survey among REDD+ negotiators.