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

For its submission, Ghana developed a national FREL/FRL. The FREL/FRL presented in the original submission, for the reference period 2001–2015, corresponds to 1,526,457 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. As a result of the facilitative process during the technical assessment, the FREL/FRL was modified to 19,659,303 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

The assessment team notes that the data and information used by Ghana in constructing its FREL/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 FREL/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.