Worldwide, free and ready-to-use high-resolution satellite data is now available to monitor forests and help reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The monitoring system has been launched as part of the Global Forest Resources Assessment. A mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) is expected to support the fight against climate change. The UN-REDD Programme, a collaborative partnership between FAO, UNDP and UNEP supports developing countries to prepare for REDD. Measurement, Reporting and Verification systems of carbon must be in place for carbon accounting and payments to be carried out in an appropriate and transparent way. The monitoring system delivers data in a global sample grid at 13,000 locations and provides tools for their interpretation.
