UN-REDD Viet Nam Programme: Piloting Participatory Carbon Monitoring

This policy brief outlines participatory carbon monitoring (PCM) pilots in Viet Nam. Developing countries undertaking REDD+ activities will need to provide evidence of “results-based action” in order to receive payments for the reduction of carbon emissions or the enhancement of terrestrial carbon stocks. The brief begins by outlining the context of PCM activities in Viet Nam and then goes onto describe the objectives of PCM. Testaments from PCM participants are provided and key steps of PCM are discussed. It is argued that there is a strong rationale behind PCM as, among other things, it recognises and capitalizes on the skills and knowledge possessed by local communities.