Since 2010, the Ministry of the Environment coordinates the development process of the National REDD+ Strategy and the discussions to stablish a national REDD+ system. As this processes unfold, the next steps need to be planned, such as a detailed risks ans benefits assessment of the actions to be included in the Strategy, the reporting on the implementation and safeguards related measures. The definition of the Brazilian Safeguards Information System (SISREDD) is one of such steps. Technical and civil society debate on environmental safeguards has been accumulating in Brazil, that enabled the creation of a volunteer Panel of Technical Experts on Safeguards, set to conduct a survey of information and sources on the safeguards. It is noteworthy that this assessment is not the end of the process, throughout the next stages of Brazil's SISREDD development, more stakeholders should join the discussions and participate in the process. During the COP 16, in Cancún, Mexico, the UNFCCC adopted a set of seven safeguards that aim at enhancing the positive and reducing the negative impacts of REDD+ actions. According to the Cancun Agreements, developing countries that undertake REDD+ actions must promote and support the following safeguards (paragraph 70, Decision 1/CP.16): (a) That actions complement or are consistent with the objectives of national forest programmes and relevant international conventions and agreements; (b) Transparent and effective national forest governance structures, taking into account national legislation and sovereignty; (c) Respect for the knowledge and rights of indigenous peoples and members of local communities, by taking into account relevant international obligations, national circumstances and laws, and noting that the United Nations General Assembly has adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; (d) The full and effective participation of relevant stakeholders, in particular indigenous peoples and local communities, in the actions referred to in paragraphs 70 and 72 of this decision; (e) That actions are consistent with the conservation of natural forests and biological diversity, ensuring that the actions referred to in paragraph 70 of this decision are not used for the conversion of natural forests, but are instead used to incentivize the protection and conservation of natural forests and their ecosystem services, and to enhance  other social and environmental benefits;1 (f) Actions to address the risks of reversals; (g) Actions to reduce displacement of emissions.
Information on the safegards In 2011, the UNFCCC member countries decided that the implementation of safeguards and its reporting must support the national action plans or strategies for REDD+ and should encompass, if necessary, all stages of REDD+ implementation. It was also agreed that the Safeguard Information Systems (SISs) must be consistent with national sovereignty, legislation and circumstances, as well as international agreements and gender issues. A SIS should: a) Be consistent with the guidelines of the Cancun Agreements (notably in the Anex I, paragraph I of the decision 1/CP.16); b) Provide transparent and solid information, accessible to all the interested parties and regularly updated; c) Be transparent and flexible as to allow improves over time; d) Provide information on how the safeguards referred to in the Cancun Agreements are being dealt with and respected. e) Be nationally constructed and implemented; f) Be constructed using the existing systems, when appropriate;