Research and Development Needs for REDD+ and Forest Monitoring

As Forest Monitoring (FM) requirements for international policies and activities such as REDD+ increase, Earth Observation data becomes more and more available and initiatives to support FM such as Copernicus are developing. In this context, user needs for data and methods are varied, with several research gaps remaining. Based on policy requirements, user needs, and available research, priorities for research were identified: extraction of map statistics, uncertainty/accuracy assessment methods, analysis ready high-resolution sampling data, and information on Forest biomass stocks and change, and Forest related GHG emissions and removals information.