The document provides guidance for three groups to identify and prioritize social focal issues related to a carbon project. It defines focal issues as social, political, or cultural factors that directly or indirectly influence the main problem or objective of a project. Each group is assigned a different question to brainstorm social issues, list them on cards, group similar issues, prioritize them, and document the top five issues. Group 1 focuses on issues that could prevent achieving carbon objectives. Group 2 focuses on issues most strongly related to deforestation and forest degradation. Group 3 focuses on issues a carbon project could most influence as a side effect.

1. SBIA Stage 1: Starting conditions study & stakeholder identification
Step 3: Identification and prioritization of (social) focal issues
Guide for Task 1, Group 1:
Definition:
FOCAL ISSUES are social, political, cultural factors that directly or indirectly contribute to existence of the main
problem/objective that the project is trying to solve/achieve.
The question:
What social issues or problems in the project area could prevent the project from achieving its (carbon)
objectives?
1. Discuss the question thoroughly (Brainstorm ideas of the social issues)
2. List the ideas on the cards provided; make sure that there is only 1 idea per social issue.
3. Lay out the cards on the table and start grouping those issues that are similar (e.g. those related to
‘agriculture’ could be joined with those about ‘increased income generating’, or ‘livelihood
improvement’; ‘community organization’ could be joined with ‘local governance’)
4. Place the cards in order of priority
5. Write down the top 5 issues on the flip chart provided
SBIA Stage 1: Starting conditions study & stakeholder identification
Step 3: Identification and prioritization of (social) focal issues
Guide for Task 1, Group 2:
Definition:
FOCAL ISSUES are social, political, cultural factors that directly or indirectly contribute to existence of the main
problem/objective that the project is trying to solve/achieve.
The question:
What social issues or problems in the project area are most strongly related to the process of deforestation
and/or forest degradation?
1. Discuss the question thoroughly (Brainstorm ideas of the social issues)
2. List the ideas on the cards provided; make sure that there is only 1 idea per social issue.
3. Lay out the cards on the table and start grouping those that are similar (e.g. those related to
‘agriculture’ could be joined with those about ‘increased income generating’, or ‘livelihood
improvement’; ‘community organization’ could be joined with ‘local governance’)
4. Place the cards in order of priority
5. Write down the top 5 issues on the flip chart provided

2. SBIA Stage 1: Starting conditions study & stakeholder identification
Step 3: Identification and prioritization of (social) focal issues
Guide for Task 1, Group 3:
Definition:
FOCAL ISSUES are social, political, cultural factors that directly or indirectly contribute to existence of the main
problem/objective that the project is trying to solve/achieve.
The question:
What social issues or problems in the project area could a carbon project have most influence on (possibly as a
side-effect)?
1. Discuss the question thoroughly (Brainstorm ideas of the social issues)
2. List the ideas on the cards provided; make sure that there is only 1 idea per social issue.
3. Lay out the cards on the table and start grouping those that are similar (e.g. those related to
‘agriculture’ could be joined with those about ‘increased income generating’, or ‘livelihood
improvement’; ‘community organization’ could be joined with ‘local governance’)
4. Place the cards in order of priority
5. Write down the top 5 issues on the flip chart provided
Be ready to clarify the focal issues to others.