This report covers the technical assessment of the voluntary submission of Gabon on its proposed forest reference level (FRL) in accordance with decision 13/CP.19 and in the context of results-based payments. The FRL proposed by Gabon covers the activities reducing emissions from deforestation, reducing emissions from forest degradation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, which are the five activities included in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70.

For its submission, Gabon developed a national FRL. The FRL presented in the original submission, for the historical period 2000–2009, corresponds to –97,055,549 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, including a 10 per cent adjustment. As a result of the facilitative process during the technical assessment, the FRL was modified to –96,468,186 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, including a 10 per cent adjustment.

The assessment team notes that the data and information used by Gabon in constructing its FRL are transparent, complete and in overall accordance with the guidelines contained in the annex to decision 12/CP.17. This report contains the assessed FRL and a few areas identified by the assessment team for future technical improvement in accordance with the provisions on the scope of the technical assessment contained in the annex to decision 13/CP.19.