New Benchmark Supports Climate Funding
By NFI Communications
Sierra Leone has moved a step closer to accessing international climate finance following the validation of the methodology for its first Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL), a key benchmark for measuring emissions and removals from the country’s forests.
Developed under the Support to Sustainable Forestry in Sierra Leone Project, the FREL combines data from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) and the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) to provide a comprehensive assessment of the country’s forest resources.
Speaking at a validation workshop, Director of Forestry, Mrs Kate M. B. Karemo-Garnett, said the exercise allows government institutions, technical experts and development partners to review the methodologies, assumptions and data sources used in developing the benchmark.
She explained that the process focuses on measuring emissions and removals resulting from deforestation, forest degradation, reforestation and improvements in forest carbon stocks.
According to her, using nationally generated data rather than global default values will provide a more accurate and credible basis for reporting forest emissions and demonstrating future reductions.
International FREL Consultant, Esther Mertens, outlined the requirements for submitting Sierra Leone’s FREL to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She also highlighted opportunities for accessing climate finance through REDD+ and other results-based funding mechanisms.
The workshop is expected to produce validated methodologies, agreed data sources and technical materials for the final FREL report, as well as a roadmap for submission to the UNFCCC.
Once submitted and technically assessed, the FREL will provide an internationally recognised benchmark against which future reductions in forest-sector emissions can be measured.
The initiative is expected to strengthen sustainable forest management, support climate action and improve Sierra Leone’s prospects of accessing international funding for forest conservation and restoration programmes.
