Strengthening Pakistan’s National Forest Monitoring and MRV Systems

Background

The National REDD+ Office partnered with Arbonaut and WWF Pakistan to develop the country’s first comprehensive Forest Reference Levels (FREL/FRL), National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), and Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) framework.

This landmark initiative aligned fully with UNFCCC COP decisions and IPCC guidelines, enabling Pakistan to reliably measure and report forest-related climate impacts for the first time.

As part of the collaboration, the team designed a unified MRV system built on two key components:

  • Satellite Land Monitoring System (SLMS)
  • National Forest Inventory (NFI)

Together, these tools provide consistent estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals, supporting transparent national climate reporting.

The NFMS was designed as a long-term national platform capable of monitoring a broad range of environmental and socioeconomic indicators, including:

  • Forest health
  • Biodiversity
  • Ecosystem services
  • Legal and governance frameworks
Land use of Pakistan
Forest monitoring system for Pakistan REDD+
Historical data on landuse

Outcomes

This had ensured Pakistan had a strong base for long-term forest and climate monitoring.

Capacity development was a central pillar of the project.

Technical trainings were conducted in both Finland and Pakistan, equipping government officials, provincial teams, and local experts with skills to track changes in forest carbon stocks and assess trends.

This collaboration strengthened Pakistan’s readiness for REDD+ implementation and created a robust foundation for sustainable forest management and climate reporting.

Technical report