Pekanbaru, March 2, 2026 – The Riau Provincial Government, through the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), held a Jurisdictional REDD+ Capacity and Competency Assessment for the Working Group and Secretariat of the GREEN for Riau Initiative Coordination Team in the Parlaungan Meeting Room, 3rd Floor, Riau Province Bappeda, on Monday (March 2). This activity aimed to assess institutional readiness and human resource competency in supporting jurisdiction-based REDD+ implementation in Riau Province.
The event was attended by the Steering Committee, working groups covering Safeguards, MRV, Planning and Budgeting, Benefit Sharing, and the GREEN for Riau Initiative Coordination Team Secretariat, with a total of approximately 35 participants from various regional agencies and development partners.
The GREEN for Riau Initiative (GREEN-Riau) program is a strategic initiative to strengthen Riau Province's readiness to implement jurisdiction-based REDD+ with high integrity, while supporting the national FOLU Net Sink 2030 target in efforts to reduce emissions from the forestry and land use sectors.
In his remarks, Danang Abdul Sufianso, Coordinator of the GREEN for Riau initiative, stated that this assessment activity is an important first step in entering the program's implementation phase.
"This assessment activity is a crucial part of implementing the jurisdictional approach in the GREEN for Riau initiative. This initiative has now entered the implementation phase, so institutional readiness and human resource capacity are key factors for success," he said.
He explained that various preparatory stages have been completed, including the preparation of REDD+ planning documents, the development of the Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL), and the registration process for the ART-TREES standard.
"Riau is projected to become a pilot project for jurisdiction-based REDD+ implementation, both at the national and global levels. Therefore, coordination between regional agencies and institutional readiness must be further strengthened," he added.
Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary of Riau Province, Dr. Syahrial Abdi, A.P., M.Sc., emphasized the importance of commitment and synergy across regional government agencies (OPDs) in implementing this initiative.
"The regional government's decision to participate in this initiative must be accompanied by a strong commitment from all regional agencies. The key to success lies in strong coordination, synergy, and collaboration among all of us."
He also emphasized that the primary goal of this initiative is not merely to obtain economic incentives, but rather to maintain the sustainability of Riau's natural resources.
"The main objective of this program is not only to gain financial benefits, but more importantly, to preserve the richness of Riau Province's natural resources, which are of vital value to the community and the future of the environment," he said.
The technical session was facilitated by Miranty Magetsari, an Institutional Strengthening Expert for GREEN-Riau, who explained that the assessment was conducted through a participatory approach and self-assessment to map the current state of institutional capacity.
"This assessment is not an audit, but a self-assessment process that allows each working group to honestly assess its own capacity and competency. This way, we can clearly identify areas for future strengthening," he explained.
He also emphasized that institutional strengthening is a crucial aspect of jurisdiction-based REDD+ implementation.
"In many similar program verification processes, auditors focus more on assessing institutional strength and governance documents than on field visits. Therefore, a strong organizational structure and work systems are crucial."
The assessment activities were conducted through several stages, including the presentation of the program concept, institutional capacity assessment, institutional competency assessment, and the development of an institutional strengthening action plan. The results of this assessment will serve as the basis for developing a capacity building plan and strengthening governance for the future implementation of GREEN for Riau.
Through this activity, the Riau Provincial Government hopes that all working groups and the GREEN for Riau Initiative Coordination Team secretariat can strengthen cross-sectoral coordination and enhance institutional readiness to support sustainable forest and land management and contribute to national emission reductions.
About the UN-REDD Programme: The UN-REDD Programme is a UN collaboration (UNEP, FAO, UNDP) to assist developing countries in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and managing forests sustainably.