The project

In 2016, Thailand received a grant for US$3.6 million for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Readiness from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). Ensuring that REDD+ activities are done in participatory ways is a major element of the FCPF approach. As part of this commitment, the Thailand REDD+ program has chosen to make this engagement meaningful through an inclusive, innovative and engaging communication strategy, which will include an assessment of existing media products on REDD+ and the production of a set of original off and online communication materials both in English and Thai languages.

The problem

Degradation and deforestation of the world’s tropical forests are responsible for about 10% of net global carbon emissions and continue to grow. Tackling the devastation of tropical forests is core to combatting climate change.
REDD+ is a mechanism through which developing countries are rewarded financially for any emissions reductions achieved associated with a decrease in the conversion of forests to alternate land uses. The risk of implementing REDD+ as a mechanism in a top-down approach can sometimes lead to exclusion and weak policy implementation.

The solution

Hence, the need for communication strategy is imperative to the success of the implementation of the national strategy and even of future REDD+ projects and sub-national and national programmes. The solution is for Etifor and its partners to develop a communication strategy and assess and produce media products that can communicate the benefit of the implementation of REDD+ as a mechanism, its strategy, future projects, and sub-national and national programmes.

Our contribution

Etifor is lead consulting firm for this project and acts as project manager, while providing key REDD+ and environmental communication expertise.

In particular Etifor will deliver:
• A country level forest stakeholder analysis and mapping
• 4 consultation rounds in 4 different forest regions of Thailand
• 2 main national dissemination events in Bangkok
• One communication strategy for REDD+ in Thailand
• A set of media products to startup the commuinication campaign.

The project will be carried out mixing REDD+ experts, with environmental communication and Social Anthropology experts, fluent both in English and Thai.