Sub-Technical Working Group on Safeguards (STWG-SG)

Transcription

1 Sub-Technical Working Group on Safeguards (STWG-SG) General Information: 6 th STWG-SG meeting minutes Date March 27 th 2015 Venue Flower Garden Hotel - 46 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh, Hanoi Chairmain Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy Director of VRO Main contents: - Stock-taking of safeguard implementation in Vietnam and achieved results - Briefing Safeguards expert consultation event (11-12 March) in Bangkok, Thailand - Support of UN-REDD phase 2 for the country-led safeguards approach - Status of the SESA-ESMF work and how this would contribute to Vietnam's country-led safeguard process - Proposal of SIS (Safeguards Information System) framework and Proposal of Safeguards experts group establishment Participants Representatives from Government Agencies, NGOs, CSO, projects/programs Vietnam REDD+ Network members Anex List of participants 1

2 The main contents of the meeting: Q&A: Q: A: Q: A: 1. Discussion on the first two presentations of Ms. Le Ha Phuong (VRO): Stock-taking of safeguard implementation in Vietnam and achieved results; and Briefing Safeguards expert consultation event (11-12 March) in Bangkok, Thailand, - Mr. Richard Rastall - SNV: ASEAN countries required UNFCCC to have more specific guidance on the implementation of Safeguards. How about Vietnam s perspective? - Ms. Le Ha Phuong -VRO Safeguard Roadmap document which is a contribution to the NRAP had clearly stated that Vietnam would apply the country-led approach to comply with all international Safeguards requirements. This document also brings out a comprehensive analytical matrix which interprets the 7 Cancun Safeguards into specific criteria and indicators. However, the discussion is still on the floor to decide whether or not Vietnam will use this interpretation to develop Vietnam s framework on Safeguards. - Mr. Pham Quoc Hung -UNDP In COP 20, ASEAN countries also submit recommendations to international forum and Vietnam can refer to this recommendation to develop the SIS for Vietnam. - Mr. Nguyen Vinh Quang - Forest Trends: Would like to know the perspectives of VNFOREST on recommendations which had been raised in the publicized Safeguards Roadmap. - Ms. Le Ha Phuong -VRO On 27 th March 2014, a consultation meeting on Safeguards and Safeguards Roadmap had been convened in the VNFOREST with the participation of all relevant agencies within 2

3 VNFOREST. After the meeting, the Safeguards Roadmap document had been circulated to each participant s address so that they can read carefully to give comments and feedback. However, after 1 month, not any comments or feedback have been gathered and the formal VRO Director at this time had agreed to publicize this document. Q: - Mr. Miyazono - JICA On last slides of Ms. Phuong s presentation, at the moment there is not any consistent template on the reporting and providing information. Individual countries had various methods but all of them need to submit to UNFCCC. Does Vietnam follow UNFCCC requirements and if yes, then how Vietnam will do? A: - Ms. Le Ha Phuong -VRO Vietnam submits the National Communication to UNFCCC every 4 years and Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change (DMHCC) MONRE is the focal point responsible for submitting this NC. The integration of Safeguards Information into this NC is on discussion. - Mr. Nguyen Trong Hung DMHCC - MONRE ASEAN has established the group to prepare for the COP 21, and Vietnam is selected as the leader. In June 2015, Vietnam will organize the conference to prepare for the COP 21; The experiences of other countries in developing SIS: clarify legal documents as the basis for the country to rely on at the same time complying Cancun Safeguards (in Vietnam, the Law on Environment Protection in 2014 should be based on). Vietnam set out the simplified targets to comply with the 7 Cancun Safeguards. Vietnam had submitted 2 NCs to UNFCCC and is the second country submitting the BUR. Recommend: international organization could support on capacity building in terms of collecting and reporting information. 3

4 Q: - Mr. Nguyen Trung Thong - SNV Is SIS a component of national system on Safeguards? Vietnam is at the 2 nd steps out of 4 in the implementation process of country-led Safeguards approach. So what is the specific scope and target of Vietnam in the 1 st step? Applying Safeguards system at the sub-national level is efficient and time saving (in the presentation) which country is doing that? Is this appropriate for Vietnam when all the activities are being done at national level? A: - Ms. Le Ha Phuong -VRO SIS is the information system under the compliance framework. In the NRAP, the most powerful document on REDD+, clearly stated that Vietnam will focus on the reform of legal framework to comply with international requirements and consistent with national regulations, capacities and circumstances. Therefore the target of Vietnam is beyond Cancun. However, NRAP only regulates on REDD+ activities so in this context, the scope is understood within forestry sector. - Ms. Do Thao PGA Coordinator - UNDP The scope and target is not clearly regulated in the NRAP but in the PRAP, these are more clearly stated. - Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy Safeguards Officer UN REDD UN REDD will review this scope and target during the development of SIS. 4

5 2. Discussion of the establishment of the core group on Safeguards - Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong UNEP/UN REDD The STWG-SG will keep the same chairman and co-chairman or restructure? - Mr. Nguyen Trung Thong - SNV SNV would like to be the co-chair as usual as well as to support on technical and financial issues. - Ms. Do Thao PGA Coordinator - UNDP Should there any specific criteria to select members of this core group? - Mr. Nguyen Trong Hung DMHCC - MONRE Should distinguish mandates and functions of this core group with the STWG-SG to avoid the difference of opinion; to turn the outputs of 6 STWGs into the ownership of Government. - Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong UNEP/UN REDD All 6 STWG-SG is now open widely with no specific mandated and functions which is the reason why they are not working properly and effectively. - Mr. Pham Xuan Phuong Senior Consultant Agree to establish 2 groups: 1. Technical support group (voluntary, no incentives) 2. Core group (including experts, representatives from Government Agencies such as MONRE, MARD. The members should be stable and their participation should be approved and agreed by their boss. However, it is not essential and not feasible to develop quite detailed mandates and functions; should be flexible for them to participate. The core group needs to have 1 secretary to summarize and sharing information, and this group needs an operation fund. 5

6 - Mr. Nguyen Huu Dzung - UN REDD Coordinator A core group is crucial to formally re-structured and oriented the functions of STWG to have a close linkage with VNFOREST. Besides the opinions which support for the establishment of the core group, JICA experts raise further topic to discuss on the number of members of this core group? How many is enough? If the members are not sufficient, how to ensure they will cover all the expertise and what is the operational mechanism? How frequency this group will work? Should have fix members and others could be flexible depends on the agenda and discussion topic (3 aspects: governance, environment and social) One of the main reasons why the STWG meeting is not attractive enough is the poor agenda. Therefore, as Mr. Doan Diem said, the STWG should have a clear working plan and a strong collaboration between SIS and SESA to develop a PCI framework based on Cancun Safeguards as well as WB policies. And Mr. Diem also recommended about merging 2 STWG-SG and STWG-Governance because governance is contained by the Safeguards. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy Director of VRO provided the information of the meeting of NRSC which will be tentatively organized before June when the COP 21 preparation conference is taken place. According to Mr. Trong Hung DMHCC MONRE, should change the name of this core group to working group/team to ensure the procedures for the participation of its members. Should involve the role of Ministry of Justice. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy Director of VRO clearly confirmed that an official invitation letter will be sent to specific members of this working group in the coming time. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh FPD said that the core group will act as the advisor for the authority therefore should have a specific role and position. The specific operational mechanism should be set out for this group as well as the level of participation should be clearly regulated and approved by the managers. Ms. Do Thai UNDP raised the comments based on Indonesia s experiences, should have specific and clear TOR composed by the Government. They call Experts Panel, and a regulation on the specific tasks and outputs for this panel is set out, incentives available for the members when they deliver the required and quality outputs. Secretary is an important position and really vital for the establishment of this Experts Panel. 6

7 SFC s representatives shared the experiences when they do the same things with SFC. According to him, secretary and coordinator is of the essence when establishing this group, they will be responsible for the preparation and logistic works. Specific experts relevant to each expertise are needed (5-10 experts). Meeting is taken place regularly. Mrs. Hien CERDA emphasized on the quality that means a working plan for at least 1 year should be developed. Since the Safeguards is the core for the success of one program/project, should consider the practical application whether or not it is suitable? In December this year, CERDA will carry out the 1 st results-based payments in Thai Nguyen, however many obstacles have occurred especially related to policy. Another wonder issue is the quality assurance of information. Most of the ideas of the participants agree on the clarification of the mandates and functions, as well as nomination of specific members, a detailed working plan for at least 1 year is important. CONCLUSION Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy wrapped up the meeting and thanks for the participation of all the participants. The 2 TORs: TOR to Assess Institutional Capacity to Implement PLRs for Safeguards and TOR for the development of SIS will be circulated in the Vietnam REDD+ Network as well as all the participants. Ms. Thuy looks forward to receiving all the comments and feedback regarding these 2 TORs within 01 week; as well as the wish list of members of the core group. These comments and feedback are really valuable for the next activities of the STWG-SG in order to wake up and run it properly and effectively. 7

8 ANEX List of participants 8

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