ESSA and ESMF in the context of the REDD Early Movers Programme of Ecuador

The REDD Early Movers Program (REM) aims to reward REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) pioneers - the so-called Early Movers - for their achievements in reducing deforestation. REM Ecuador is a Program of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany, through KfW, and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), with financial administration by the Sustainable Environment Fund FIAS. It is a Policy Based Financing (PBF) mechanism that supports Ecuador's efforts to curb deforestation and, with it, the country's goal of halting the loss of natural forests by 2030.

AAE has been contracted to review and update the existing REM Program safeguards-relevant risk management procedures and associated implementation tools, so that potential E&S risks are avoided, or where this is impossible, minimized and adequately managed. The assignment consists of two parts:

1. An Environmental and Social System Assessment (ESSA), including a gap analysis of the existing REM safeguard-relevant risk management procedures and associated implementation tools followed by recommendations on possible corrective actions as necessary.
2. A needs assessment for the fine-tuning of REM’s Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), including field visits to understand local level implementation and capacity needs.