The Guatemala National REDD+ Strategy (2020-2050) (ENREDD+) constitutes a comprehensive forest-based climate mitigation framework developed in response to Guatemala's commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Nationally Determined Contribution. Led by the Government of Guatemala with participation from over 240 local organisations and supported by the Inter-American Development Bank through Forest Carbon Partnership Facility funding, the strategy operates through three phases: preparation, implementation, and results-based payments. The ENREDD+ aims to articulate governance mechanisms that enable full and effective participation of stakeholders, including women, men, indigenous peoples, and local communities, in reversing deforestation and forest degradation causes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst increasing environmental goods and services from forest ecosystems and agricultural lands.
The strategy's climate change and energy transition elements centre on ambitious emission reduction targets and forest conservation goals aligned with the National Development Plan K'atun 2032 and Sustainable Development Goals. The ENREDD+ establishes specific targets including achieving 29% natural forest coverage and 32% total forest coverage by 2032, alongside a 3% increase in forest coverage through ecological restoration. From an emissions perspective, the strategy targets reductions of approximately 12 million tCO2e by 2025 and 238.3 million tCO2e by 2050. The framework addresses five primary deforestation and degradation causes: unsustainable forest product exploitation, cattle ranching expansion, agricultural expansion, forest fires, and pests and diseases. Structured around four strategic axes encompassing 14 strategic lines, the ENREDD+ integrates governance strengthening, deforestation cause mitigation, degradation prevention, and forest restoration to increase carbon stocks.
