Development Group Cluster
The UNOPS Development Group Cluster is based in the North America Office and supports a diverse and complex portfolio including partners such as the United Nations Development Programme (the Bureau for Development Policy, the Human Development Report Office, and the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation), the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the United Nations Secretariat and a broadening community of primarily New York-based UN partners in the delivery of project management, implementation and administration services.
The UN-REDD Programme
In response to the COP13 decision and requests from countries and donors, FAO, UNDP, and UNEP developed the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Programme). The UN-REDD Programme consists of two sets of activities: i) National Programmes which are UN joint programmes between the three agencies to assist developing countries prepare and implement national REDD+ strategies and mechanisms; ii) Global Programme to support country actions and provide the international community with confidence and understanding of the technical and social aspects of a post-2012 REDD+ mechanism. A Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) is administered by the UNDP MDTF Office. A UN-REDD Strategy 2011-2015 has been approved by the Policy Board, the governing body of the Programme. An inter-agency secretariat has been established in Geneva to enhance the coordination of the Programme’s delivery by the three agencies.
UNDP leads three of the six work areas set out in the UN-REDD Strategy: (i) National Governance; (ii) Stakeholder Engagement; and (iii) Transparent, Equitable and Accountable Management of REDD+ Funds.
The UN-REDD Programme and the EEG REDD+ team collaborate closely with the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF); the Forest Investment Programme (FIP) of the Carbon Investment Funds (CIF) of the World Bank; and other multilateral, bilateral and private sector REDD+ initiatives.
The UN-REDD Programme inter-agency Secretariat
The UN-REDD Programme Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland and is an inter-agency unit of the three UN-REDD Programme agencies. Among other things, the Secretariat supports the Policy Board by organizing meetings, producing reports and monitoring implementation of Policy Board decisions. It is a central point of contact for the UN-REDD Programme and liaises with other REDD+ initiatives. This includes liaising with existing and potential donors in order to mobilize funds. The Secretariat provides leadership in strategic planning, and the development and management of reporting, monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the Programme, raising awareness of, and championing the UN-REDD Programme and providing vital information to external partners. The Secretariat also facilitates interagency collaboration and communication, to ensure the Programme is implemented effectively. The terms of references for the Secretariat were strengthened in 2012 with a focus of 5 key results:
- Support the delivery of high quality UN-REDD Programme services and results through the creation and implementation of efficient and effective interagency quality assurance, reporting, and coordination mechanisms;
- Provide administrative and logistical support to Policy Board and the agencies’ REDD+ management teams;
- Develop and implement innovative approaches to facilitate knowledge sharing among UN-REDD Programme staff, participating countries, and interested stakeholders;
- Develop and nurture existing and new partnerships and manage external relations at the Programme-level; and
- Develop a donor relations and resource mobilization strategy, and coordinate implementation of such a strategy.
In particular, the Senior Programme Officer (SPO) will support the Secretariat’s delivery of these key results in relation to UN-REDD National Programmes and other support to the 46 UN-REDD partner countries.
BDP/EEG
The EEG REDD+ team is responsible for a growing portfolio of $100m. The work is primarily concentrated in the UN-REDD Programme, a collaborative partnership with FAO and UNEP (see below). UNDP is also a Delivery Partner for the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). In addition, the team is responsible for other REDD+ initiatives and ensuring overall quality assurance. The team especially works closely with the UNDP-GEF team to provide guidance on GEF-funded projects related to REDD+ and with the Low Emissions, Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) team to ensure UNDP’s efforts on REDD+ contribute to broader transformational change.
The EGG REDD+ team is a multi-practice initiative, working closely with the Democratic Governance Group (DGG), the Poverty Group, the Capacity Development Group, the Gender Unit and the Civil Society Unit. A team member is currently based in the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre and the team collaborates closely with the DGG Anti-Corruption Programme.
EEG coordinates country-level activities with the Regional Bureaux, working closely with the UN Resident Coordinators and Country Offices. The EEG REDD+ team can support the REDD+ initiatives of the regions and country offices and provide quality assurance on a full cost-recovery basis.