Measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon stocks are crucial components of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+). The application of a participatory approach in MRV aims to collect local carbon stock data to improve the accounting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the national level and increase the participation of local communities to maximize the co-benefits of REDD+. The design and implementation of participatory MRV (PMRV) may benefit from extensive research and application of participatory monitoring of natural resources and biodiversity. However, participatory monitoring and PMRV have different aims and requirements. The strategies that contribute to successful participatory monitoring may need to be modified and adapted to the requirements of MRV to be useful for PMRV.
We conducted a literature review of participatory monitoring and existing PMRV approaches to identify strategies and conditions that support the development and implementation of sustainable PMRV in the REDD+ context. To identify data and processes that should be included in PMRV, we reviewed MRV requirements in the REDD+ context. The literature is analyzed to summarize the lessons learned from participatory monitoring, examine when, where and how PMRV has been developed and implemented, and identify any knowledge gaps. With Indonesia as our case study, we explored the feasibility of PMRV implementation and assessed how PMRV could be integrated into the national MRV system. We examined the proposed national MRV system in Indonesia, compiled a database of REDD+ projects and conducted short interviews with selected project proponents.
We have identified several knowledge gaps in the current literature on participatory monitoring and PMRV, such as the impact of MRV requirements on the feasibility and sustainability of PMRV, limited literature on participatory reporting and validation processes, the integration of PMRV into the multi-level MRV system and how PMRV can be used to ensure REDD+ safeguards and to maximize co-benefits. Our examination of the development of the multi-level MRV system and MRV implementation in Indonesia have shown the opportunities and challenges in integrating PMRV into the MRV system and implementing PMRV at the local level.
We recommend that PMRV, for carbon and non- carbon data, be developed and implemented in community-based forest management schemes. The potential of PMRV to maximize the co-benefits of REDD+ and implement REDD+ safeguards should be promoted and realized to encourage the adoption of PMRV by REDD+ project proponents at the local level. Robust participatory reporting methods and reliable validation need to be identified. PMRV activities should be carried out as a partnership between the local communities, local institutions, government agencies at the district level, the MRV unit at the provincial level and its counterpart at the national level. This will enable PMRV to be well supported and the collected data aggregated at the national level.
