The People’s Committee of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has approved a project to reduce greenhouse gas emission implemented in 2015.

The project will cost about 781,000 USD, of which 769,000 USD comes from official development assistance (ODA) sources.

It looks to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, enhance sustainable management of forest resources, and conserve and improve forest carbon stocks.

Previously, an action programme reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) for the 2015-2020 period in Lam Dong set a target to cut greenhouse gases by 27 percent by 2020, equalling 2,056,277 tonnes of CO2 per year.

REDD+, which officially began in the province on March 22, is worth some 1.75 trillion VND (81million USD) and is aiming to curb deforestation and forest degradation, devise sustainable forest management and conservation initiatives and improve local livelihoods.

Lam Dong will focus on building its capacity and has planned a series of measures to reduce its carbon dioxide volume.

The province has a total land area 977,219 ha, more than 596,600ha of which has been zoned off for forests.

The Prime Minister approved REDD+ as a national action programme in July 2012 with the initial participation of eight provinces.-VNA