National REDD+ Strategy (2018 - 2030).

The National REDD+ Strategy (NRS) contributes effectively to a large part to the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy and Ethiopia's greening targets in 2030, while maximizing national co-benefits thereby adding to the global climate change mitigation efforts through improving forest resource and land management. The mission of the NRS is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon removals in the forest sector by implementing policies, laws and regulations, and increasing investments to enhance conservation of forest resources and forest restoration and by improving the functioning and capacity of national and sub-national institutions in order to realize the green growth vision of Ethiopia, and enhancing the associated benefits of biodiversity conservation, improved hydrological functions of landscapes and better livelihoods (Chap. 2).
The primary goal of the NRS is to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, while promoting sustainable management of the forest resources and enhancing forest carbon stocks through afforestation and reforestation. REDD+ programme in Ethiopia broadly targets to address drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and bring significant part of the country’s degraded areas under forest cover through forest restoration, afforestation and reforestation activities. The strategy focuses on reducing deforestation, forest degradation and enhancing forest carbon stock by promoting conservation and restoration of forest ecosystems; strengthening governance and development of local capacities and putting in place enabling environment for sustainable forest management.
The NRS provides strategic guidance by strengthening institutions at all levels and by implementing strategic investments for improved forest management and livelihoods. Specifically, the NRS intends to provide guidance on: Addressing policy, legal and institutional issues related to land use and forest governance to enable forest conservation; Establishing strong institutional mechanisms for an effective cross-sectoral coordination; Developing methodologies with international standards for setting the baseline emissions; Mobilizing resources and intensifying investments in forestry for increased emission reductions and carbon removals; Identifying needs and taking appropriate measures for building national and subnational capacity to support REDD+ activities at all levels; Promoting knowledge generation and strengthening public awareness on REDD+; Establishing mechanisms for active participation of stakeholders in NRS implementation; and Implementing safeguards programme for ensuring that Ethiopia's REDD+ implementation observes globally acceptable social and environmental safeguard standards.