The Fiji National REDD+ Programme was established in 2009. The Ministry of Forestry is the lead implementing agency, while the lead finance agency is the Ministry of Economy. In December 2010, the Fiji National REDD+ Policy was endorsed by Government. The implementation of the Fiji REDD+ programme is overseen by the National REDD+ Steering Committee whose purpose is to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of a multi-sectoral approach to the REDD+ agenda and that safeguards identified in the National REDD+ Policy are complied with.
The Fiji National REDD+ Programme aims to implement the National REDD+ Policy which has the overall objective of enhancing the national forest-based carbon balance by supporting and strengthening initiatives that address the drivers of forest-based carbon emissions and encouraging the drivers of forest based carbon sinks to take ownership.
The Fiji REDD+ Policy places much emphasis on the need to raise awareness and communicate effectively to relevant stakeholders. This is to ensure the free and transparent flow of information at the national level (government, industry, civil society organisations, faith based organisations, local communities, landowners), between and within government ministries and departments and statutory bodies, among national and international bodies and forums and the media.
This will ensure that the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) principles are adhered too when informing indigenous landowners about REDD+. This will also serve to inform other ethnic groups, as well as the marginalised, gender and vulnerable groups on their necessary involvement and participation in REDD+.
REDD+ stakeholders in Fiji therefore include relevant Government ministries and departments, landowners, land users, the private sector, statutory bodies, local municipalities, the academic institutions, primary and secondary schools and civil society organisations (CSO).
