Project Overview
The UN-REDD Programme is a United Nations initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The initiative is a collaborative effort of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and was launched in 2008. The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders.
RSIL, in collaboration with the Office of the Inspector General of Forests, Government of Pakistan and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was required to prepare a report on the extant laws on forestry and the environment in Pakistan and provide strategies for the implementation of UN-REDD and REDD+ in Pakistan under the existing legal framework.
Project Outcomes
A comprehensive report was prepared by our research team after a thorough review of the domestic laws having a bearing on REDD+ in Pakistan, including laws relating to forestry, climate change and land tenure at the federal and provincial level. The report also provided a historical overview of all the forest policies of Pakistan to provide context to the evolution of the law and its possible effect on deforestation and forest degradation. Relevant statutory bodies dealing with this subject across Pakistan were identified by our team along with ministries, governmental and non-governmental organizations and research centers. The report also analyzes the recently enacted Climate Change Act 2017 from a legal perspective and highlights this legislative instrument as the key vehicle for implementing the REDD+ regime in Pakistan
The report was the first legal review in Pakistan focusing on this specialized subject area and was very well received by the Federal Government, including the Ministry of Climate Change and the Office of the Inspector General of Forests.