| | | | Over 300 participants from across the globe, joined the 3rd Informal Forum of the Consultative Group of Experts, held during the ongoing Climate Dialogues. | 27/11/2020 13:08 |  Mutisungilire Kachulu | 27/11/2020 13:08 | 27.11.2020 | As part of the ongoing
Climate Dialogues, the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) held its 2020 informal
forum on 26 November 2020 to showcase its achievements in 2020, and engage with
and seek feedback from its key stakeholders.
In opening the forum, both the Chair of
the Subsidiary Body of Implementation (SBI), Ms. Marianne Karlsen and the
Deputy Executive Secretary for UNFCCC, Mr. Ovais Sarmad, highlighted the
important role played by the CGE in building capacities of developing country Parties
to implement the measurement, reporting
and verification (MRV) arrangements under the Convention and to prepare for the
transition to the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement.
They noted that as countries prepare for enhanced climate ambition,
transparency will play a greater role towards accelerated implementation. As
such, they iterated the importance of the informal forum, where participants
would learn more about the work of the CGE, and the CGE would receive feedback and
suggestions from key stakeholders, in particular on how the CGE could improve
the provision of its support to developing country Parties.
Ms. Jenny Mager, representing COP 25 Presidency,
also appreciated the important role and the work undertaken by the CGE as being
critical to the achievement of the Paris Agreement goals. On her part, Ms. Eve
Deaken, who represented the incoming COP 26 Presidency, indicated that the UK
would seek and urge the Parties to finalise the outstanding work (negotiations)
on the ETF, and clearly define the kind and level of support required for
developing countries to participate in the ETF processes.
The informal forum attracted over 300 participants
from across the globe. The participants included country experts
and policy makers who are the key drivers of MRV/transparency efforts at the
national level, and the key bilateral and multilateral agencies, who provide
financial and/or technical support on MRV/transparency.
The CGE showcased its achievements in 2020,
which included the knowledge products it developed, and the virtual training workshops, webinars and platforms for peer exchange it offered.
The CGE also shared the key findings from its assessment on needs and gaps of developing
country Parties. Some of needs expressed by participants during the session included:
continued technical support on enhancing institutional arrangements and data
management systems; formulation of indicators for tracking progress of
implementing and achieving NDCs; preparation of BTRs; technical support in
using the 2006 IPCC guidelines for national GHG inventories; and development of
M&E system for NAPs.
In closing
the forum, the Chair of the CGE, Mr. Arif Goheer, expressed his appreciation to
the participants for joining the event and sharing their views. Mr. Goheer noted
that the informal forum had provided important feedback directly from the CGE
target audiences, which would help the CGE in ensuring that its technical
support addresses the state of play, priorities, constraints, gaps and needs.
He assured the participants that the CGE would consider the suggestions
provided, when formulating its annual work plan for 2021.
A channel to provide
your suggestions to the CGE remains open until 4 December 2020. Go to www.menti.com and use the code 3012323. Presentations made
during the informal forum and its recording will be shared here, and a procedural
summary of CGE informal forum will also be shared on the CGE webpage https://unfccc.int/CGE soon. | | | | | The GHG inventories are a critical component of the National Communications and Biennial Update Reports, which are important in tracking climate action progress under the Convention. Photo - Unsplash Scott Graham
| 25/06/2020 14:36 | Bhava Dhungana | 29/06/2020 17:09 | 25.06.2020 | Despite the COVID-19
crisis, the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), an expert group under the
Convention and the Paris Agreement mandated to provide technical support to developing
Parties in meeting their reporting requirements under the Convention and the
Paris Agreement, has during the first half of 2020, engaged with over 200
experts on national GHG inventories.
The CGE is determined to minimize the impacts of the
corona virus to its 2020 work plan and is therefore
fully committed to implementing its activities, including enhancing capacity of
developing countries on methodologies to prepare national GHG inventories. The regional
webinar series target greenhouse gas inventory compilers and sector experts to
discuss technical issues and share lessons regarding transitioning from the Revised 1996 to 2006 IPCC guidelines for national
GHG inventories.
The first webinar
targeted the Asia-Pacific region and was held on 22 April where 47 experts from
23 countries participated. The second
session was for the African and Eastern Europe regions and took place on 20 May
with 52 participants from 34 countries. The
third webinar was held in Spanish for the Latin America and Caribbean region on
18 June with 122 participants from 30 countries. The participants appreciated
the timeliness and relevance of the webinars, and the informative exchange during
the QA sessions.
| | | | | The enhanced transparency framework for action and support established by Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. | 19/06/2020 14:41 | Mutisungilire Kachulu | 19/06/2020 14:41 | 19.06.2020 | The
Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), mandated to provide technical support and
advice to developing country Parties to improve capacities to implement the
existing measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) arrangements under the
Convention and the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Paris
Agreement, has published a technical
handbook on preparing for implementation of the ETF.
The
handbook aims to improve awareness and understanding of the ETF and its MPGs by
national experts and practitioners from developing country Parties, so that they
may consider opportunities to improve current reporting and start planning for
the establishment of institutional arrangements and reporting under the ETF. In
this regard, the technical handbook among others, provides and explains in
detail the information to be reported; describes the technical expert review
(TER) and the Facilitative Multilateral Consideration Progress (FMCP) processes.
Learn more about the EFT processes and access the handbook here
and its addendum here.
| | | | | CGE reinforces committment to its mandate and convenes an ad-hoc virtual meeting to assess the potential impact of COVID-19 on its 2020 workplan. | 11/05/2020 13:07 | Mutisungilire Kachulu | 11/05/2020 14:07 | 11.05.2020 | The
Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), mandated to provide technical support and
advice to developing countries improve their capacities to implement the
existing MRV arrangements under the Convention and the ETF under the Paris
Agreement has underlined its commitment to
deliver its mandate and work despite the COVID-19 pandemic. To this extent, The CGE convened an ad-hoc virtual meeting on 14 April 2020 from 14:30 –
16:30 CET (Bonn time) to assess
the potential impact of on-going worldwide effects of COVID-19 on its 2020 work plan and discussed how the potential impacts could be
managed. The CGE will continue assessing such potential impacts as the
situation unfolds and take necessary measures to ensure successful
implementation of its workplan.
This
level of commitment is critically important given that the current MRV system
is set to transition to ETF under the
Paris Agreement, which will increasingly require more detailed reporting by all
countries. Learn more about the CGE continued commitment here and the adjustments made to its 2020 workplan in the
light of COVID-19 is here. | | | | | The UNFCCC secretariat conducts virtual review of 16 developed country Party BRs. | 11/05/2020 12:26 | Mutisungilire Kachulu | 11/05/2020 12:26 | 11.05.2020 | Determined
to continue its crucial mandated work even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN
Climate Change secretariat conducted a virtual review of the climate policy and
climate action reports from 16 developed country Parties in March and April
2020.
The
virtual review included Biennial Reports from Austria, Canada, France,
Greece, Ireland, Spain, Australia, Germany, Finland, the EU, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland and was conducted by 67 international
experts, who performed their function as reviewers.
The
virtual review found that due to climate policies and actions implemented, and
based on 2017 factual greenhouse gas emissions data, almost all of the 16
developed countries are reaching their 2020 climate targets. The UN
Climate Change will publish reports on the review in due course. Learn more
about the review here. | | | | | The Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), has rolled out some of the planned capacity building initiatives for 2020 despite the COVID-19 crisis | 11/05/2020 11:41 | Mutisungilire Kachulu | 11/05/2020 11:41 | 11.05.2020 | The
Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), an expert group under the Convention and
the Paris Agreement mandated to provide technical support and advice to
developing countries on MRV and transparency has rolled out some of the planned
capacity building initiatives for 2020 despite the COVID-19 crisis.
The CGE planned a number of capacity building initiatives for its
2020 workplan such as regional webinar training sessions on transitioning from
the revised 1996 to 2006 IPCC guidelines for national GHG inventories, regional
webinar trainings on ICTU and NDC progress tracking; training session on
institutional arrangement to support MRV and ETF process. To this
extent the CGE has already conducted webinars on transitioning from the revised
1996 to 2006 IPCC guidelines for national GHG inventories for the Asia-Pacific
region, which was conducted on 22 April 2020. A total of 44 experts attended
the webinar and this presents an example of concrete effort by the CGE to
assist developing countries enhance their technical capacity to prepare for and
implement reporting requirement under the Convention and Paris Agreement.
| | | | | The Consultative Group of Experts held its 3rd Meeting from 18 to 19 February 2020 in Bonn, Germany. | 11/05/2020 10:45 | Mutisungilire Kachulu | 11/05/2020 10:55 | 11.05.2020 | The Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), mandated to
provide technical support and advice to developing countries to improve
capacities to implement the existing MRV arrangements under the Convention and
the ETF under the Paris Agreement, held its 3rd Meeting from 18 to 19 February 2020
in Bonn, Germany. To this end, the CGE formulated its Vision, Mission statement and Strategic objectives to guide its work up to 2026. The CGE’s Vision
is to comprehensively achieve its mandate of assisting developing country
Parties improve their capacities to implement the existing MRV arrangements
under the Convention and the ETF under the Paris Agreement in a timely and
sustainable manner. The CGE’s Mission Statement seeks to provide targeted technical support
and advice, consistent with its mandate, to developing country Parties that
responds to their technical assistance needs to implement, in a timely manner,
the existing MRV arrangements under the Convention and the enhanced
transparency framework under the Paris Agreement, including putting in place
sustainable institutional arrangements and data management systems.
| | | | | The CGE successfully held its 2nd Pilot Informal Forum at COP 25, on on on institutionalization of data management system. Country experiences were shared by Thailand, Indonesia and Australia | 20/12/2019 14:44 | Justice Khumela | 20/12/2019 14:44 | 20.12.2019 |
The
Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) successfully held its 2nd Pilot Informal
Forum on the margins of the twenty-fifth session of UN Climate Change
Conference (COP 25). The CGE collaborated with the Paris Committee on
Capacity-Building (PCCB) and was organized as part of the “Transparency Day” at
the Capacity-building Hub on 5 December 2019. The focus of the second pilot
informal forum was on institutionalization of data management system.
The
2nd forum convened with opening statements by the Chair of the CGE, Mr. Gervais
Ludovic Itsoua Madzous and Co-Chair of the PCCB, Ms. Marzena Chodor, and
introductory remarks by the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation, Mr.
Emmanuel Dumisani Dlamini, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC
secretariat, Mr. Ovais Sarmad and COP25 Presidency, Ms. Carolina Urmeneta.
To
set the scene, the CGE Chair, Mr. Itsoua Madzous, provided an overview of the
work that the CGE undertook in 2019 to develop technical capacity of developing
countries to institutionalize data management for their national GHG
inventories. He also presented the key findings from the assessment undertaken this
year by the CGE to better understand the existing and emerging constraints,
needs and gaps in relation to implementing the existing measurement, reporting
and verification arrangements under the Convention and preparing for the
enhanced transparency framework under the Paris Agreement.
Country experiences and lessons
learned to institutionalize data management systems were presented by Indonesia,
Mr. Joko Prihatno and Australia, Mr. Aaron Kirby. They provided concrete
examples of how data management is institutionalized through live demonstrations
of their data management systems. They also shared their experiences and
lessons learned in developing and maintaining such systems, including key
success factors that benefited the process of institutionalizing data
management, key challenges and constraints faced in the process, and how the
countries overcame them and what remains to be addressed. The data management
systems that were demonstrated in the forum included:
In
addition, Thailand who has recently set up their GHG inventory system
(TGEIS) in collaboration with Australia, also shared their experiences.
In
the discussion and exchange session, participants shared experiences and
lessons learned, which included:
· How
putting in place a national data management system and institutionalizing data
collection and management led to benefits beyond reporting under the UNFCCC
process. The data management system can result in a robust data and flexibility
in terms of archiving and documentation of the data. Further, it helps to
communicate with broader stakeholders, which then contributes to getting
support on MRV process.
· Governance
system and leadership, including legal and regulatory frameworks that mandate
regular reporting and establishment of national data management system, was
identified as key success factors. It is vital not only for setting up the
national data management system, but for its operationalization, especially
when there is lack of readiness or willingness of sectoral agencies and various
levels of stakeholders (i.e. local and/or provincial levels) to use the
established data management system and provide the required input data.
· In
terms of the design of the national data management system, it is important to
incorporate the system into a broader national inventory plan. In case a
country has separate sectoral data collection/reporting systems, it is
important to integrate them into the national system and ensure the consistent
flow of data and information without duplicative work.
If you missed the event, the
presentations can be obtained here.
| | | | | Presenters at the side-event. From left to right: government of Lebanon (Ms. Yara Daou Chalfoun); the government of Chile (Mr. Richard Martinez Caro); GEF (Ms. Milena Gonzalez Vasquez); Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (Mr. Henning Wuester); UNFCCC secretariat (Mr. William Agyemang-Bonsu); UNEP/UNDP GSP (Mr. Damiano Borgogno); and Global Green Growth Institute (Mr. Gebru Jember Endalew). | 18/12/2019 15:45 | Justice Khumela | 18/12/2019 15:45 | 18.12.2019 |
An event showcasing the efforts, including experiences and lessons
learned, of Chile and Lebanon to strengthen their institutional arrangements
and governance structures to support implementation of the existing measurement,
reporting and verification (MRV) arrangements under the Convention and the enhanced
transparency framework (ETF) was held on 5 December 2019 on the margins of 25th
session of the Conference of the Parties in Madrid, Spain. The event also included representatives from
international agencies and programmes (Initiative for Climate Action
Transparency, Joint UN Environment/UNDP Global Support Programme, the Global Environment
Facility and Global Green Growth Institute) who are actively involved in
supporting developing countries to share their perspective, including
experiences and lessons learned, and support opportunities available from them.
The modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs) adopted in
Katowice, provide the operational details for the ETF. The MPGs are applicable to all Parties to the
Paris Agreement with flexibility to those developing country Parties that need
it in the light of their capacities. This is a significant shift in the UNFCCC
process as the ETF builds on and enhances the existing MRV arrangements under
the Convention, including the need to report information on climate action and
support biennially. This necessitates having in place sustainable and
functional national institutional arrangements.
Recognizing such a need, a number of developing country Parties are
starting to enhance their efforts to improve their institutional arrangements
with support from international community.
Lebanon shared their experience of how they built their institutional
arrangements for reporting over time as they delivered four national
communications and three BURs. They encountered
challenges with respect to institutionalizing data collection; addressing data
gaps, and undertaking quality control and quality assurance measures to validate
the data and the reports produced. They
started to address these by piloting a data sharing agreement between the
Ministry of Environment and another ministry and thereafter expanded the
approach to include other ministries. They
highlighted that stakeholder involvement is key. Further, building human resource capacity
within the country helped stabilize the reporting process.
Over time, Chile was able to put in place two key institutional
arrangements that supported them to produce three national communications and
three BURs to date: the Inter-Ministerial Technical Team on Climate Change
(ETICC) and the National GHG Inventory System of Chile (SNICHILE). The ETICC is
a cross government body that includes experts from ministries and their other institutes,
coordinated by Ministry of Environment.
Similarly, SNICHILE is a decentralized body that includes the Ministry
of Energy and Agriculture and is coordinated by Ministry of Environment. Chile explained
that in order to strengthen institutional arrangements over time, it is
important to take stock of gaps, needs and constraints and to seek support.
They currently have a Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT)
project to strengthen their institutional arrangements for National Determined
Contribution and ETF.
Other presenters shared an overview of the scope and depth
of support provided to developing countries for effective participation in the existing
MRV arrangements under the Convention and in terms of preparedness for
participation in the ETF.
The GEF shared information on the programming status of the
CBIT. So far, 59 CBIT projects were approved to the total value of 91 million USD.
Of these, 29 projects have begun implementation. 80% of CBIT projects aim to
enhance institutional arrangements. The GEF said that a single body responsible
for overall coordination and management of the climate change reporting process
which is well-located within a government ministry and having sufficient
capacity and authority to carry out its role was the key pillar around which further
institutional strengthening could be achieved.
ICAT explained that its objective is to provide policymakers
around the world with tools and support tailored to country-needs for enhanced
transparency and to assess the effectiveness of their country’s climate policies and actions in
line with the Paris Agreement. ICAT has published a road-map
for establishing information systems for climate action and support to help
countries set-up information systems to meet their climate change reporting
needs. They highlighted that buy-in from stakeholders; drafting regulatory and
procedural documents for the operationalization of the institutional framework
for reporting; and developing an integrated data management system were key to
setting up a robust system for reporting.
The Global Support Programme (GSP) jointly implemented by UN
Environment and UNDP and funded by the GEF, discussed the support provided to some
developing countries to strengthen the capacity of the single body responsible
for overall coordination and management of the climate change reporting process.
The GSP highlighted that high-level political buy-in was important to cement
inter-ministerial coordination.
The Global Green Growth Institute said that it was important
that countries move away from the project-based approach that does not improve
institutional memory or build long term capacity within government to meet
climate change reporting needs to more permanent institutional arrangements.
This is especially so because the enhanced transparency framework and its MPGs
have many more ‘shall’’ (mandatory) requirements for
preparing biennial transparency reports that will require a more robust
reporting system. GGGI have successfully assisted few countries in doing
exactly that.
| | | | | Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, opens the 8th workshop of the Facilitative sharing of views | 12/12/2019 11:38 | Justice Khumela | 12/12/2019 11:38 | 12.12.2019 |
UN Climate Change News, 11 December 2019 – At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, fifteen countries presented the latest information on their climate actions at events called the Facilitative Sharing of Views ( FSV) and Multilateral Assessment ( MA).
Operating since 2014, the MA and FSV processes provide multilateral platforms for countries to share the latest information on their climate actions and engage in a constructive exchange of views. These processes play a crucial role in building trust among countries by enhancing the transparency of climate actions, thereby allowing countries to track progress of implementation and raise ambition levels.
In her opening remarks at the FSV workshop, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, said:
“It is becoming clearer than ever how transparency is central to increasing climate action. Ensuring data is shared openly is vital to our collective climate change efforts. When we see what is working in one country, we are more likely to try it in our own, if it’s applicable. This transparency directly helps inform governments as they increase levels of ambition to tackle climate change.”
Facilitative Sharing of Views
At the 8th session of the FSV workshop, five developing countries - Chile, Ghana, India, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia – shared their achievements and remaining challenges in climate action.
The latest FSV workshop demonstrated strengthened efforts by developing countries in addressing climate change. The discussion highlighted various policies and measures being actively implemented by developing countries, including carbon pricing, low-carbon electricity generation and sustainable forest management.
Countries also noted that developing the biennial update report ( BUR) and participating in the international consultation and analysis ( ICA) have been beneficial to strengthen their capacity in tracking progress of mitigation actions and increase awareness.
COP25 President and Minister of Environment of Chile, Carolina Schmidt, said: “Data and transparency are core elements for driving commitments and increasing ambition.” She also added: “The international consultation and analysis (ICA) and facilitative sharing of views (FSV) have particular importance not only to establish dialogue, but also to understand areas for improvement and approaches to overcome potential gaps.”
See here for highlights of the presentations made by these five countries.
Multilateral Assessment
Underlining the importance of the MA sessions, Kyriakos Psychas, Head of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Greece, said: “The Multilateral assessment process is a pillar for transparency and robust reporting.”
The sessions showcased the concrete climate actions developed Parties are taking to meet their 2020 emission reduction targets, which are crucial to achieving the goal of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The sessions showed how climate actions are improving as countries integrate lessons learned, and that the portfolio of climate actions continues to expand as countries progress towards meeting their strong political commitments for 2020 and beyond.
Not only the 2020 climate action targets were on show; countries referred to their 2030 targets under the Paris Agreement, demonstrating that the short-term 2020 targets are essential stepping stones to reaching the mid- and longer-term targets.
Some countries also outlined their ambitious goals for carbon neutrality by 2050. For example, Portugal and Switzerland presented their 2050 net zero emissions targets. Eduardo Ferreira Santos, Head of the Department for Climate Change at the Portuguese Environment Agency said: “The next decade is crucial in terms of emissions reduction and climate policy and trajectory that puts us on track to 2050”. See video from Portugal here: http://bit.ly/2LM7Iww
Novel approaches to tackling transportation emissions were also presented, such as free public transit (Luxembourg) and consideration of including road fuel into emissions trading systems (Austria).
| | | | | 5 December 2019, 18:00 - 20:00 | 26/11/2019 16:32 | Justice Khumela | 03/12/2019 14:10 | 26.11.2019 |
The enhanced transparency framework
of the Paris Agreement (ETF) requires that all developing country Parties
submit their biennial transparency repots, at the latest, by 31 December 2024.
The availability and quality of the data will determine the credibility of the
information provided. While most developing countries have experience, at least
once, in compiling data for the preparation of their national greenhouse gas
inventories, through their experience in preparing national communications
(NCs) and in some cases the biennial update reports (BURs), constraints and
challenges continue to exist.
Data-related challenges are the
most prevalent challenges faced by developing countries. These challenges fall in two broad
categories: primary data collected and data management. The challenges around the primary data
collection stems from either lack of access to or unavailability of primary
data or available data not in the suitable format or lack of human resource
capacity or the technical infrastructure needed to support the data collection
process. Similar challenges associated
with the data management are mainly due to lack of human resource capacity or
the technical infrastructure for data management, quality control and quality
assurance (QA/QC), documentation and archiving.
Recognizing these challenges, the Consultative
Group of Experts (CGE)
will host its 2nd Pilot Informal Forum entitled “Institutionalizing data management system”
on 5 December at COP 25. The event is being organized in
collaboration with the Paris Committee on Capacity-Building and will be one of
the events held at the Capacity-building Hub on the “Transparency day”.
The pilot forum is aimed at increasing
awareness of the importance of institutionalizing GHG data management;
promoting exchange of best practices, practical experiences and lessons learned
in institutionalizing GHG data
management; and further improving understanding of constraints and challenges,
and the depth and needs for further capacity-building efforts.
To set the scene, the CGE will
present the findings from its assessment undertaken in 2019 to better understand
the existing and emerging constraints, needs and gaps in relation to the
existing MRV arrangements and the enhanced transparency framework. It will be
followed by the presentations from Indonesia
and Australia showcasing their success stories and lessons learned in
establishing and institutionalizing their national GHG inventory systems.
|
Date: Thursday, 5 December 2019
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Location: Capacity-building Hub
|
| | | | | Figure 3: Number of nationally appropriate mitigation action entries in the registry by type
from 2013 to 2019 | 22/11/2019 16:39 | Justice Khumela | 22/11/2019 16:39 | 22.11.2019 |
UN Climate Change News, 20 November 2019 - The UNFCCC NAMA registry recorded an additional 13 NAMA (nationally appropriate mitigation action) entries in between 1 October 2018 and 30 September 2019, mostly seeking support for preparation and implementation of plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
NAMAs refer to any action that reduces emissions in developing countries and is prepared under the umbrella of a national governmental initiative. They can be policies directed at transformational change within an economic sector, or actions across sectors for a broader national focus.
As at 30 September 2019, the UNFCCC NAMA registry contained a total of 183 NAMAs seeking support for preparation or implementation or seeking recognition, representing an increase of 8 per cent since 2018.
Annual Report on Registry of NAMAs to Be Considered at COP25
The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the seventh annual report on the operation of the registry of nationally appropriate mitigation actions for consideration by the UNFCCC’s Conference of Parties (COP25) in Madrid, Spain in December 2019.
This report provides information on the operation of the registry in the reporting period (1 October 2018 to 30 September 2019) and in terms of the cumulative status of NAMA entries in the registry as at 30 September 2019.
As in previous reporting periods, financial support made up the greatest share of international support sought (USD 15.7 billion), followed by capacity-building support (USD 62 million) and technological support (USD 14.5 million).
Latin American and Caribbean States recorded the most NAMA entries. However, the substantial number of NAMA entries recorded by African States, Asia-Pacific States, SIDS and the LDCs was particularly noteworthy.
On the international support being sought for NAMAs, the document reports a cumulative total of USD 31.5 billion in international support sought by all NAMA entries for implementing or preparing NAMAs. Financial support continued to make up the greatest share of international support sought (USD 29.5 billion), followed by technological support (USD 1.7 billion) and capacity-building support (USD 0.21 billion).
| | | | | The workshop for Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe, held in Siem Reap, Cambodia. | 17/10/2019 16:14 | Justice Khumela | 17/10/2019 16:14 | 17.10.2019 | The
Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) conducted three regional hands-on training
workshops in 2019 on institutionalization of data management for the national
greenhouse gas inventory. The workshops were conducted for three regions:
Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe.
The
aim of the workshops was to enhance the technical capacity of national experts
involved in the preparation of national communications, biennial update reports
and national greenhouse gas inventories to institutionalize data management in
their national institutional arrangements.
The
workshops covered a wide variety of issues and problem areas to data that are
among the most persistent challenges faced by developing countries in their
implementation of the existing measurement, reporting and verification (MRV)
arrangements under the Convention and preparation for the enhanced transparency
framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. Data issues manifest in various ways
– lack of availability of data that are consistent with the reporting
guidelines, inaccessible data, lack of adequate data collection and management
process and/or system.
The workshops also introduced for
the first time a pre-workshop webinar and homework exercise that allowed
participants to already have basic knowledge of the topic prior to the
workshop. In addition, the workshop provided an opportunity for experts to work
on simulated cases, which equipped the participants with hands-on experience on
handling cases.
Another key aspect of the
workshops was creating a platform for collaboration and interacting with their
peers, CGE members and other experts. This includes sharing of views, lessons
learned and experience relating to institutional arrangements for data
collection and data management processes, including commonly used techniques,
approaches and tools. The participants also expressed interest in enhancing
regional collaboration on the institutionalization of data for GHG inventories
on the basis of similarities in national circumstances in the region, noting
the potential for sharing best practices, resources and expertise with a view
to overcoming common challenges.
In general, the workshops were
successful in:
(a) Familiarizing
national experts with the process and methods for institutionalization of data
management for the national GHG inventory;
(b) Providing a platform
for national experts from the same region to share experience and lessons
learned;
(c) Promoting networking among national experts;
(d) Providing a platform
for the CGE to interact with national experts and gain insight into relevant
lessons learned, experience, constraints and challenges.
Some participants expressed their
intention to use the training materials as a basis for training other national
experts, enhancing existing institutional arrangements, furthering their
knowledge of GHG inventory preparation and improving their terms of reference
for hired experts and consultants.
Participants
expressed interest in learning more about enhancing existing institutional
arrangements to improve the collection, management and reporting of GHG
inventory data, including incorporating GHG inventory component into the
existing data collection and management systems and processes in sectors so
that proper data for the inventory can be generated in a timely manner.
The
workshops were attended by 106 experts from 91 developing country Parties. The
CGE members from the respective regions also participated in these workshops,
which allowed them to gain first-hand knowledge on the technical capacity of
the national experts.
| | | | | The Asia-Pacific Regional NDC Dialogue which took place at the Asia-Pacific Climate Week in Bangkok. | 17/10/2019 14:36 | Justice Khumela | 17/10/2019 14:36 | 17.10.2019 |
A
forum for peer-to-peer exchange on nationally determined contributions (NDC)
UN
Climate Change in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and
other partners have overseen three Regional Dialogues this year: Africa; Latin
America and the Caribbean; and Asia-Pacific.
The
Regional Dialogues are a series of regional workshops which were launched in
2014 to provide a forum for peer-to-peer exchange on the design of intended
NDCs, before transitioning to address issues of the nationally determined
contributions (NDC) preparation and implementation.
The
goal of the dialogues is to increase momentum for more ambitious and
accelerated climate action and for enhanced NDCs. In doing so, the events serve
as a contribution to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit which
took place in September 2019 and for COP 25.
This
year, the Regional Dialogues’ objectives were enhancing capacities to prepare
to update their NDCs; to identify solutions to specific challenges countries
are facing in implementing and enhancing their NDCs; to provide a forum for
peer-to-peer learning and exchange of national experiences related to NDC
implementation and enhancement; and to provide a platform for linking
national/regional interests with the international NDC process, and for
strengthening existing and/or establishing new partnerships and commitments for
ambitious climate action that help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and
the 2030 Agenda.
Africa Regional NDC
Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, 18-19 March
The
first Regional Dialogue of the year took place in Accra, Ghana from 18 to 19
March with 89 participants from 47 countries and 69 participants from partners
and donors attending.
Latin America and
Caribbean Regional NDC Dialogue in Salvador, Brazil, 19-20 August
The
Regional Dialogue for Latin America and the Caribbean took place from 19 to 20
August in Salvador, Brazil with 77 participants from 25 countries and 71
participants from partners and donors.
Asia-Pacific Regional
NDC Dialogue in Bangkok, Thailand, 2-3 September
The
Asia-Pacific Regional NDC Dialogue was the last dialogue of the 2019 series and
took place during the Asia-Pacific Climate Week in Bangkok, Thailand from 2 to
3 September.
115
participants from 37 countries and 64 participants from partners and donors
attended the two-day dialogue.
| | | | | The second training workshop in the series was organized for the African region, from 16 to 18 September, in Algiers, Algeria, with support from the Algerian Government and UNDP country office in Algeria. The training workshop gathered 47 national experts who are involved in the preparation of national GHG inventory from 37 countries in the region and technical resource persons from the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute.
| 02/10/2019 10:57 | Justice Khumela | 02/10/2019 10:57 | 02.10.2019 | Building a sustainable national MRV system and moving towards the enhanced transparency framework.
Issues related to data are among the most persistent challenges faced by developing countries in their implementation of the existing measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) arrangements under the Convention and preparation for the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. Data issues manifest in various ways – lack of availability of data that are consistent with the reporting guidelines, inaccessible data, lack of adequate data collection and management process and/or system.
To help developing countries tackle data issues and enhance MRV efforts at the national level, the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) decided to focus its technical assistance and capacity-building activities for 2019 on data issues and organize a series of regional hands-on training workshops on institutionalization of data management for the national GHG inventory.
The second training workshop in the series was organized for the African region, from 16 to 18 September, in Algiers, Algeria, with support from the Algerian Government and UNDP country office in Algeria. The training workshop gathered 47 national experts who are involved in the preparation of national GHG inventory from 37 countries in the region and technical resource persons from the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute.
The training workshop addressed key elements required to ensure the sustainability of GHG inventory process, including system design, governance, quality data, documentation and archiving and stakeholder engagement. Designed as part of a 4-phase programme (pre-workshop webinar – homework – hands-on training workshop – post-workshop webinar), the training workshop provided opportunities for national experts to learn, test and practice a handful of techniques, approaches and tools.
The participants engaged in the hands-on exercises and group discussions with great passion and eager to deepen their knowledge and skills and prompted the exchange of experiences and lessons learned including concrete proposals that they could further take up to improve the national GHG inventory management system. The training workshop ended on a note of general satisfaction.
The last training workshop in the 2019 series is planned for the Asia-Pacific and Eastern European regions from 7 to 9 October 2019, in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
For more details on CGE training workshops 2019, see here. For more information on CGE and its work plan for 2019, see here. | | | | | With the adoption of the Paris Agreement the and the Katowice Climate Package, the efforts of parties to further enhance the transparency of climate action and support will be increased significantly. This will be achieved through the enhanced transparency framework (ETF), established under the Paris Agreement, that builds on and enhanced the existing measurement, reporting and verification arrangements (MRV) under the Convention As a result, there is a wide acknowledgement by the global community that developing countries will require increased financial, technical and capacity-building support. | 08/07/2019 15:51 | Laure Fouchecourt | 08/07/2019 15:51 | 08.07.2019 | Speakers from left to right: Henning Wuster (ICAT), Milena Gonzalez vasquez (GEF), Minyoung Kim (UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT), William Agyemang-Bonsu (UNFCCC Secretariat), John Christensen (UNEP DTU Partnership).
With the adoption of the Paris
Agreement and the Katowice Climate Package, the efforts of Parties to further enhance the transpanrency of climate action and support will be increased significantly. This will
be achieved through the enhanced transparency framework (ETF), established
under the Paris Agreement, that builds on and enhanced the existing
measurement, reporting and verification arrangements (MRV) under the Convention
As a result, there is a wide acknowledgement by the global community that developing
countries will require increased financial, technical and capacity-building
support.
A side-event, in the form of a panel discussion, showcasing the
support (financial, technical, and capacity-building) provided to developing
countries for participation in the existing MRV
arrangements under the Convention and the ETF under the Paris
Agreement, was held on Monday 24 June on the margins of June 2019 Climate Change Conference (SB50) in
Bonn.
The panel discussion, moderated by the UNFCCC
secretariat, included a panel of experts involved actively in supporting
developing countries in this area. The
experts provided their perspective of how countries can use the ETF as part of
their efforts to implement and further develop their NDCs. They also shared key lessons learned and best
practices in ensuring that the support provided contributes to the
sustainability of the national MRV arrangements and helps countries as they
move towards implementing the ETF.
Ms.
Milena Gonzalez Vasquez (Global Environment Facility) presented the financial and technical support opportunities
made available through the GEF, including the Capacity-building Initiative for
Transparency – a funding window established in response to the request from COP
21 and plans for support for preparation of biennial transparency reports. She
highlighted that developing countries could submit projects that help
strengthen and prioritize their capacity to implement the enhanced transparency
framework. The CBIT database contains a publicly list of projects submitted to
date. As of June 2019, 48 projects received US$74 million of CBIT funds, with
17 projects in the implementation phase.
Mr.
Stanford Mwakasonda provided further details on the on-the-ground support provided
through the GEF-funded Global Support Programme. The programme, implemented jointly by UN
Environment and UNDP, provides support to developing countries to meet their
national communications and biennial update reports reporting needs. He
emphasized that it is important for countries to establish a legal framework
(an overarching climate change policy, strategy or act) that provides the basis
for legally defining the role of stakeholders such as universities and national
statistics offices can play in the national MRV system.
Ms.
Minyoung Kim of the Greenhouse Gas inventory & Research Center of Korea (UNFCCC-GIR CASTT)
described the specific support measure offered, in partnership with UNFCCC, to
developing countries to build their expertise in establishing or improving
their national GHG inventories. She explained that the training programme covers
aspects such as the reporting and technical analysis process under the UNFCCC,
GHG inventory compilation including sectoral GHG estimation methodologies and
development of country-specific GHG emission factors
Mr.
Henning Wuester described the country-tailored tools and support made available
to policy-makers and national experts by the Initiative for Climate Action
Transparency (ICAT)to assess the impacts of their
climate policies and actions; to develop effective and ambitious climate
policies; and to mobilize investment. He provided examples of the
support initiatives they have undertaken for developing countries in the past
for developing reporting capacity such as the development of sustainable land
and land use indicators for the land use sector.
Mr.
John Christensen highlighted the range of tools (legal, institutional,
procedural and capacity-building) made available by the UNEP DTU Partnership to
support developing countries build a national system for implementing the
enhanced transparency framework.
The
panellists explained that their webpages contain information on how to access
their support offering and highlighted that tools and guidance documents are
freely available on their websites.
| | | | | The Consultative Group of Expert (CGE), on the margins of the June 2019 Climate Change Conference (SB50) in Bonn, Germany, organized a side-event to present its 2019 CGE work plan and also highlight how it is responding to the needs arising from the enhanced transparency framework. | 08/07/2019 15:42 | Laure Fouchecourt | 08/07/2019 15:42 | 08.07.2019 | The Consultative Group of Expert (CGE), on the margins
of the June 2019 Climate Change Conference (SB50) in
Bonn, Germany, organized a side-event to present its 2019 CGE work plan and also highlight how it is responding to the needs arising from the enhanced transparency framework.
The group
invited few countries to present their experiences and lessons learned in the process of
preparing their national communications (NC) and/or biennial update reports
(BURs), and how they are building on from those experiences and lessons learned
to prepare for the enhanced transparency framework
(ETF).
The CGE Chair, Mr. Gervais Ludovic
Istoua Madzou (Congo), presented the 2019 work plan of the CGE, which addresses the capacity-building needs of
developing countries in a more targeted and strategic manner, in order to facilitate improved reporting of developing
countries over time and support the implementation of the ETF under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.
Since February 2019, as part of its
work plan, the CGE has already launched several activities, such as a targeted
survey to developing countries to better understand their needs for
implementing the MRV arrangements and the ETF, a toolbox on institutional
arrangements to support MRV/transparency of climate action and support,
technical guide to prepare for the implementation of the ETF, and the regional
hands-on training workshops on institutionalization data management for GHG
inventories.
Bangladesh, Jamaica and South Africa
shared their experiences and lessons learned on the existing MRV arrangements,
and also provided an update on how efforts being undertaken nationally to
prepare for the implementation of the ETF.
Jamaica has submitted its first Biennial Update Report (BUR) in 2016 which
went through the technical
analysis and Facilitative Sharing of Views (FSV) in the same
year. It submitted its third National Communication (NC) in 2018 and ,
In the context of preparing these reports, two key challenges were highlighted,
which were limited technical and human capacity to complete the reports, and inability
to disburse resources in original project timeframe. In order to address these
challenges, Jamaica received technical and financial support through the United
National Development Programme and the Capacity-building Initiative for
Transparency (CBIT). Despite these challenges, Jamaica plans to submit its
second BUR and fourth NC in 2020-2022. It also aims to put in place a robust
national MRV system from 2021-2022.
Bangladesh submitted its third NC in 2018. The presentation highlighted some of the challenges
and lessons learned from the process of preparing this report. Lack of reliable data and information
consistent with the requirements of the IPCC 2006 guidelines, lack of
institutional capacity and dependence on external experts, and issues to retain
sectoral specialist that were trained in the process of preparing these reports
were identified as some of the challenges it is facing currently. With a view
to addressing these challenges, Bangladesh aims to establish data sharing
arrangements at the national level, including a permanent structure at the department
of environment which had the mandated to prepare the NCs and BURs. In order to
prepare itself for the implementation of the ETF, Bangladesh will build on and
enhance the existing institutional arrangement, and plans to use the guidelines
and tools, which will be developed by CGE. Bangladesh called for an increased financial
and technical support to institutionalize the proposed MRV arrangements, update
its National
Determined Contributions (NDCs), and prepare their first
Biennial Transparency Report (BTR).
South Africa, one of the five
countries that has submitted its third BUR, shared its
experiences, challenges and lessons learned. With regard to challenges, the
following were identified: limited number of and high turnover of key staff
members, issues with data management, capacity constraints in using the
national GHG inventory information management systems, lack of disaggregated
data for the GHG reporting, and a non-centralized information system for
climate finance. Efforts to address these challenges include: recruiting sector
specialists to compile GHG inventory data, conducting capacity-building for key
personnel, formalizing data collection processes, and developing a climate
change tracking and evaluation system, which included tracking of climate
finance. The presentation also highlighted how the National Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Reporting Regulations, published in April 2017,
formalized the institutional arrangements to ensure consistent and sustainable
data input for the GHG inventory. In order to prepare for the ETF, South
Africa will continue using the 2006 IPCC guideline, and will set up higher tier
methodologies for key categories in country specific emission factor. South
Africa also provided a preliminary list of actions that it aims to undertake in
its effort to prepare for the implementation of the ETF.
| | | | | In the framework of the 2019 Climate Change Conference (SB50) in Bonn, Germany, the secretariat held a special event on Wednesday 20 June, on the transparency framework showcasing the experience and lessons learned from the current measurement, reporting and verification system (MRV) to help implement the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. | 21/06/2019 11:52 | Laure Fouchecourt | 21/06/2019 11:52 | 21.06.2019 |
In the framework of the 2019 Climate Change Conference (SB50)
in Bonn, Germany, the secretariat held a special event on Wednesday 20 June, on the transparency framework showcasing the experience
and lessons learned from the current measurement, reporting and verification
system (MRV) to help implement the Enhanced Transparency Framework
(ETF) under the Paris Agreement.
Check the video on the event here
Visit the Mitigation and
Transparency Exchange Facebook Page here
| | | | | The CGE, has so far in 2016, conducted five thematic webinars, 3 on vulnerability and adaptation assessment, and 2 on mitigation assessment. These webinars are part of the groups its capacity-building initiatives. An additional four webinars are also being planned for 2016. | 20/05/2016 09:29 | Roberto Felix | 04/11/2019 09:21 | 20.05.2016 | The CGE, has so far in 2016, conducted five thematic webinars, 3 on vulnerability and adaptation assessment, and 2 on mitigation assessment. These webinars are part of the groups its capacity-building initiatives. An additional four webinars are also being planned for 2016.
The topics for the vulnerability and adaptation assessment webinars focused on the framework for assessment, climate change scenarios, and water resources. The mitigation webinars focused on the key steps to conduct a mitigation assessment, and the key mitigation challenges and barriers faced in the sector of energy supply.
A total of 174 persons participated in the three vulnerability and adaptation assessment webinars and 80 participated in two mitigation assessment webinars. Participants included national government representatives, researchers, and technical specialists. The webinars allowed participants to learn and engage with experts remotely and to submit questions where experts provided detailed responses immediately. The presentations were also made available online to users.
In the last quarter of 2016, the CGE will organized webinars in in French and Spanish.
More details will be provided closer to the webinar dates!
| | | | | The UNFCCC Secretariat hosted The Africa Regional Workshop on the Building of Sustainable National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Management Systems, and the Use of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories | 20/05/2016 09:40 | Roberto Felix | 22/08/2016 11:31 | 20.05.2016 | The UNFCCC Secretariat hosted The Africa Regional Workshop on the Building of Sustainable National
Greenhouse Gas Inventory Management Systems, and the Use of the 2006 IPCC
Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories from 14 to 18 March in
Maseru, Lesotho. The workshop was organized by the UNFCCC Secretariat in
collaboration with the Technical Support Unit of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventories
and the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties
not included in Annex I to the Convention.
A total of 57 experts from 41 countries in the region attended
the workshop. The participants primarily consisted of government officials
involved in the preparation of national GHG inventories, including UNFCCC
national focal points.
The workshop was the first of its kind from the UNFCCC
Secretariat, offering training on the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for non-Annex I
Parties. The workshop was organized following the 42nd Subsidiary
Body for Implementation acknowledging the request from non-Annex I Parties for
further technical support aimed at improving their domestic capacity to
facilitate continuity in meeting reporting requirements through, among others,
training on the use of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories, as
well as building of sustainable national GHG inventory management systems.
Therefore, the workshop emphasized both the importance of
establishing a national inventory management system to support the regular
development and submission of national GHG gas inventories, and provided
hands-on training on the 2006 IPCC guidelines for national GHG inventories,
including the IPCC inventory software.
The workshop consisted of six sessions. The first session
included a keynote address by the Honorable Minister Selibe Mochoboroane,
Minister of Energy and Meteorology
(Lethotho), and the sharing of country experiences by representatives of Benin,
South Africa, Swaziland, and Tunisia.
The second session focused on the key role of the national
GHG inventory management system, including presentations and hands on materials
to support the development of a national GHG inventory management system. This
session concluded with a group discussion where participants shared their experiences
in using the proposed templates.
Sessions three through five provided training on the 2006
IPCC Guidelines, including general guidance, reporting, and sectoral guidance.
Following an overview of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines, including differences
between the Revised 1996 and the 2006 IPCC Guidelines, participants were
introduced to the IPCC inventory software and Emission Factor Database. The
IPCC 2006 Guidelines were presented by sector —Energy, Industrial Processes and
Product Use, Waste, and Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use. For each
sector, participants reviewed source/sink categories and methodologies, and
completed a hands-on exercise using the IPCC inventory software. Participants then
learned how to utilize the IPCC inventory software for compiling various
components of a national GHG inventory.
The UNFCCC Secretariat is
organizing similar workshops for the Latin America and Caribbean, and Asia
Pacific and Eastern Europe regions, in June and September 2016,
respectively.
Presentations from the workshop are available on the UNFCCC
website: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/non-annex_i_natcom/meetings/items/655.php
| | | | | The Ministry of the Environment of Japan and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) convened, together with the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism of Mongolia, the “14th Workshop on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventories in Asia (WGIA14)” from 26 to 28 July 2016 in Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar. | 25/08/2016 16:45 | Joseph Peter Ndimu | 25/08/2016 16:59 | 25.08.2016 |
The Ministry of the Environment of Japan and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) convened, together with the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism of Mongolia, the “14th Workshop on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventories in Asia (WGIA14)” from 26 to 28 July 2016 in Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar. The main purpose of the annual workshop was to develop and improve national GHG inventories in the Asian region and to enhance cooperative relationships as a means of achieving this.
93 participants attended WGIA14, including government and research institution representatives of thirteen countries (Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao P.D.R., Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Vietnam), in addition to representatives of the Technical Support Unit of the IPCC Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and others.
Mutual learning sessions on GHG inventories were held during the workshop, and discussions took place on themes related to Biennial Update Reports (BURs) and to various activities with co-benefits for GHG inventories/mitigation and related support. In the mutual learning sessions, the following four GHG inventory sectors were taken up – Energy, Industrial Processes, Land Use, Land-Use Change and forestry (LULUCF) and Waste.
For each session, two countries engaged with each other by following up on the Q&A which had taken place over the course of two and a half months preceding the workshop. Experts and government officials in charge of the national inventory from the partnering countries met each other in person at the sessions, clarifying their questions and elaborating on their answers.
Through the mutual learning sessions, specific issues in the four inventory sectors were identified and some solutions were proposed. Common difficulties such as challenges in collecting activity data or achieving completeness in the coverage of sources/sinks, as well as institutional arrangement issues were acknowledged.
Following the mutual learning sessions, the following topics were taken up in the plenary sessions: 1) Updates on the National Communications and BURs from developing country Parties, 2) Institutional Arrangements for National GHG Inventories and BURs, 3) Good Practices in the International Consultation and Analysis (ICA) Process, and 4) Activities with co-benefits for GHG inventories/mitigation and related support.
 Photo credit: Basharat Alam Shah In Session 1), participants exchanged views on how to interpret UNFCCC decisions, and the practicalities of implementing them. It was acknowledged that the 2006 IPCC Guidelines reflect the latest scientific knowledge, but the transition to using them requires capacity building. In Session 2), the importance of coordinating between institutional arrangements for inventory preparation, mitigation planning and adaptation was highlighted. In Session 3), it was acknowledged that the ICA process contributes to enhancing transparency, and the capacity of countries to improve their GHG inventories, mitigation and emission reduction work, as well as to the next submission of BURs and Nationally Determined Contributions. In Session 4), participants reconfirmed the co-benefits between air pollution control, terrestrial monitoring and the enhancing of GHG inventories. Clarifications were also sought and provided for related support for the improvement of GHG inventories.
| | | | | Register for the CGE e-learning courses by 1 September 2017! The Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from non-Annex I Parties (CGE) has developed online e-learning courses to assist the preparation of national communications. | 29/08/2017 12:08 | Bhava Dhungana | 29/08/2017 13:41 | 29.08.2017 | Register for the CGE e-learning courses by 1 September 2017! The Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from non-Annex I Parties (CGE) has developed online e-learning courses to assist the preparation of national communications. The e-courses are free of charge and are open to everyone. Participants have 3 months to complete the course and will receive a certificate upon completion. Please mail any questions to tisu@unfccc.int. Register for the e-courses here>> http://bit.ly/1Ex9GIC | | | | | As part of the Paris Agreement, Parties to the UNFCCC agreed to establish a Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to meet the enhanced transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement. | 06/12/2017 11:48 | Marlan Pillay | 01/11/2019 11:41 | 06.12.2017 |
In order to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to meet the transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to establish a Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT). The GEF was requested to support the establishment and operation of the CBIT, including through voluntary contributions to support developing countries during GEF-6 (2014- 2018) and future replenishment cycles.
The CBIT has
three aims:
1. Strengthen national institutions for transparency-related
activities in line with national priorities
2. Provide relevant tools, training and
assistance for meeting the provisions stipulated in Article 13 of the Agreement
Assist in the improvement of transparency over time
3. Assist in the improvement of
transparency over time
More
information on the CBIT can be found here:
All
developing country Parties have access to the CBIT upon request. A list of
projects approved under the CBIT can be found here: Projects
under CBIT
| | | | | The Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) organized a side-event on 9 November 2017 on the margins of COP 23 to showcase the key achievements of the group and success stories of developing countries on the preparation of the national communications (NCs) and biennial update reports (BURs). | 06/12/2017 10:59 | Marlan Pillay | 06/12/2017 12:30 | 06.12.2017 | The Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) organized a side-event on 9 November 2017 on the margins of COP 23 to showcase the key achievements of the group and success stories of developing countries on the preparation of the national communications (NCs) and biennial update reports (BURs). The panel of speakers consisted of Mr. Stephen King’uyu, the CGE member from Kenya, Ms. Emma Rachmawaty from Indonesia, and Ms. Mariana Kaspzyk from Uruguay. Mr. William Agyemang-Bonsu from the secretariat moderated the event.
Mr. King’uyu outlined the key objectives of the group, its strategic priorities, and its key activities in 2017. The key outputs of the CGE included updated training materials on:
- Reporting of mitigation actions and their effects in BURs;
- National greenhouse gas inventories;
- Reporting information on finance, technology transfer and capacity-building needs and support received;
The CGE also prepared a “Technical Tool to Facilitate Parties Prepare for and Participate in The International Consultation and Analysis”;
Mr. King’uyu also informed that in addition to the updated training materials, the CGE had also conducted two regional hands-on training workshops on the preparation of mitigation action and reporting on them in national communications (NCs) and biennial update reports (BURs), and 7 webinars, which is complemented by the online e-learning courses on the topics of GHG inventories, mitigation assessment and vulnerability and adaptation assessment.
Two countries, Indonesia and Uruguay, presented their success stories regarding the preparation and submission of NCs and BURs.
Ms.Rachmawaty from Indonesia shared how the process of preparing the national reports are being improved based on the lessons learned and feedback from the participation in the facilitative sharing of views (FSV). She noted that work on NC and BURs could improve capacity of national and sub-national experts, promote stakeholder engagement and strengthen institutional arrangements. She highlighted a few challenges that needs to be overcome. These relate to data availability and collection, use of IPCC 2006 guidelines, assessing impacts of mitigation actions, and enhancing and maintaining on a continuous basis appropriate institutional arrangements. In terms of next steps, she highlight two concrete actions: incorporating baseline and target under its NDC into national development plan.
In addition to the views from Indonesia, Ms. Kasprzyk shared the success stories of Uruguay. Uruguay had first initiated the process of preparation of the NCs in 1994, and since then it has been maintained on a continuous basis. This resulted in having in place sound institutional arrangements with permanent team in the Climate Change Division supported by specific sectoral working groups. This, in turn, enable Uruguay to continuously and actively engage in the MRV process. Till date, Uruguay has already completed 4 rounds of NCs and the first BUR. The preparation of the fifth NC is underway and is about to submit second BUR. These reports were noted to be help at the national level, among other things, in raising awareness on climate change and also as a tool for policy-making.
This animation explains the benefits of the measurement, reporting and verificationThe webcast of the side-event is available here (starting at 8:50)The presentations are available here. | | | | | To foster transparency, trust and confidence and promote climate action Parties to the UNFCCC put in place arrangements for measurement, reporting and verification (MRV). The transparency mechanism under the UNFCCC process uses a language which is full of acronyms, and this video explains some of them. | 29/08/2017 12:14 | Bhava Dhungana | 29/08/2017 12:18 | 29.08.2017 | To foster transparency, trust and confidence and promote climate action Parties to the UNFCCC put in place arrangements for measurement, reporting and verification (MRV). The transparency mechanism under the UNFCCC process uses a language which is full of acronyms, and this video explains some of them.
Find the video here
For more information viste the site here. | | | | | An event showcasing initiatives to support measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and the transparency of action and support was held on November 13, 2017, during the twenty-third Conference of Parties. | 06/12/2017 11:02 | Marlan Pillay | 06/12/2017 12:29 | 06.12.2017 |
An event showcasing initiatives to support measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and the transparency of action and support was held on November 13, 2017, during the twenty-third Conference of Parties.
The expert panel – the Global Environment Facility (GEF); the UNDP/UN Environment Global Support Programme (GSP); and the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT-UNEP-DTU) presented support initiatives focused on the enhancement of developing countries’ national capacity to effectively participate in the existing MRV arrangements under the Convention, as well as their preparations to implement the modalities, procedures and guidelines of the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement. A representative from the National Council for Climate Change and the Clean Development Mechanism of the Dominican Republic also provided their experience and lessons learned in mobilizing and accessing necessary support in a timely manner.
Photo: L-R: Karen Hedeman Lluberes (Dominican Republic); John Christensen (Director of UNEP DTU Partnership); Monica Echegoyen (ICAT Coordinator); Dominique Revet (UNFCCC secretariat); Damiano Borgogno (UNDP GSP); Milena Gonzalez Vasquez (the GEF).
The event was moderated by the UNFCCC secretariat. It was well-attended and generated interest and views from the audience during an interactive Question and Answer session.
Overall, the panel discussion reinforced the idea that effective participation in the current MRV arrangements under the Convention and transparency framework under the Paris Agreement requires long-term efforts for capacity-building support in developing countries and a systemic approach to build robust and sustainable national MRV systems. The panelists highlighted the need to ensure that the information prepared and submitted in national reports is relevant to national development process by informing relevant policies, plans and thus gaining political buy-in at national level. The degree to which support opportunities are effectively utilized can be enhanced by a high degree of political commitment from policy-makers and government officials.
The representatives of support providers outlined their initiatives available to developing countries to strengthen or establish national MRV systems. The financial, technical and capacity-building support has been provided in areas of, inter alia, developing legal frameworks and instruments; enhancing or consolidating existing institutional arrangements; improving data collection and management; and producing high quality national communications and biennial update reports (also known as BURs).
The Dominican Republic shared their experience and lessons learned in conducting a technical, institutional and legal analysis to examine the current situation and identify the gaps in regards to the main elements that make up a national MRV/Transparency System that is compatible with national data management practices as well as with reporting requirements to the UNFCCC. Their aim is to produce a mapping of existing relevant institutions that will play a role in the institutional arrangement to implement the MRV system; and to create a road map detailing the activities that need to be implemented for obtaining reliable and regular information on GHG emissions and reductions.
The interactive discussion with the audience led to an emphasis on the need for developing countries to encapsulate the knowledge and experience gained from the MRV process, as well as showcase their efforts and progress made.
The webcast of the side-event is available here.The presentations are available here. | | | | | A new guidance document for the peer review of GHG inventories for Parties has been created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat, with the support of the Global Support Programme (GSP) for National Communications and Biennial Update Reports (GSP). | 29/08/2017 11:52 | Bhava Dhungana | 29/08/2017 11:57 | 29.08.2017 | The document aims to serve as a manual for experts to assess the GHG
inventory and inventory development process. It describes how to perform
a review of national GHG inventory management systems and national GHG
inventories for non-Annex I Parties, taking into consideration and
ensuring consistency with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) guidelines for national GHG inventories, and the Consultative
Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in
Annex I to the Convention (CGE) and United States Environmental
Protection Agency (US EPA) training materials, workbooks, templates on
developing sustainable national GHG inventory systems. Parties to the
UNFCCC submit information on the implementation of the Convention,
including national actions to mitigate and adapt to the climate change
as well as inventory of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Developing countries submit this information through national
communications every four years and biennial update reports every two
years. The greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories form the core of part of
these reports.
Read more about it here | | | | | The CGE, in 2017, updated several of its training materials with a view to ensuring that developing country Parties have the latest information and technical guidance available to effectively participate in the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) process, including the preparation of BURs and the international consultation and analysis (ICA) process. | 06/12/2017 10:56 | Marlan Pillay | 06/12/2017 12:30 | 06.12.2017 |
The CGE, in 2017, updated several of its training materials with a view to ensuring that developing country Parties have the latest information and technical guidance available to effectively participate in the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) process, including the preparation of BURs and the international consultation and analysis (ICA) process.
The updated training materials on reporting information on GHG inventories, mitigation actions, and support needed and received provide the context for reporting, and explanation of the different reporting provisions through concrete examples and templates. The training materials provide guidance on how to ensure the completeness of information reported, examples and key considerations to take into account, templates for providing such information and questions to guide the process when preparing and finalizing the information to be reported.
In additional, the CGE also prepared a technical tool at assist developing country Parties prepare for and participate in the technical analysis of their BURs and the facilitative sharing of views.
| | | | | Last month, from 15th to 22nd of March 2019, 196 participants, of which 47 African countries, private sector and other non-Party stakeholders mobilized at the Africa Climate Week 2019 in Accra, Ghana to discuss and advance the climate action agenda of the region. The Africa Climate Week is actually the first of the Regional Climate Week planned for this year – the latter two being the Latin America and Carribean Climate Week and the Asia Pacific Climate Week. One of the events held during the Africa Climate Week, was the NDC regional climate dialogue which aims at boosting ambition and accelerating climate actions. | 15/04/2019 16:02 | Laure Fouchecourt | 15/04/2019 16:02 | 15.04.2019 | Last month, from 15th to 22nd of March 2019, 196 participants, of which 47 African countries, private sector and other non-Party stakeholders mobilized at the Africa Climate Week 2019 in Accra, Ghana to discuss and advance the climate action agenda of the region.
The Africa Climate Week is actually the first of the Regional Climate Week planned for this year – the latter two being the Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week and the Asia Pacific Climate Week. One of the events held during the Africa Climate Week, was the NDC regional climate dialogue which aims at boosting ambition and accelerating climate actions.
Translating NDCs into concrete climate actions is complex and requires a whole-of-country approach.
In Ghana, two days were dedicated to technical dialogues on the implementation of the climate commitments or “Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These technical NDC dialogues, running since 2014, have been organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat to help countries plan and implement their climate commitments. Discussions
focused on the preparation of second-round NDCs with increased clarity
and ambition; capacity strengthening for tracking NDC implementation
progress; and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, building on lessons
learned from implementing initial NDCs and drawing on the outcomes of
the Talanoa
Dialogue and COP24. The dialogues further invited countries to look to
2050 and beyond and encourage the formulation of long-term climate
strategies, which countries are invited to submit to the UNFCCC by 2020.
The outcomes of each dialogue will be presented to the UN Climate
Action Summit, in September 2019.At the dialogue, the representation of key stakeholders from all sectors of society provided a clear indication that this inclusive engagement process was well underway in the region.
Participants noted that in Africa, the regional, municipal and local
actors need to help bridge the gap between ambitious national climate
targets and the concrete actions required on the ground.
achieve the 1.5C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, Africa will have to focus on three strategies. Firstly, as Africa's development is linked to the world's capacity to address climate change,
its climate plans - mitigation and adaptation actions – will have to be
aligned with national development plans and strategies. Secondly, to
identify opportunities, to plan, finance and implement action at all
levels - national, sub-national, local and across sectors – the data
collected will need to be consistent, reliable and comparable. Finally, financial instruments and innovative financing mechanisms must be leveraged to mobilize adequate climate finance. Enabling environment for private sector engagement
and public-private collaborations must also be further enhanced to
ensure the required pace and scale of climate action is fulfilled in
these critical years ahead.
In addition, as part of the Africa Climate Week, the Government of Ghana and UNDP organized a 2 days NDC Investment Forum to discuss ways to crowding-in private sector investment for projects in Ghana that are financially viable, and that also deliver the climate solutions Ghana pledged in their NDC.
The host country, Ghana, has led by example by creating a conducive environment for private sector engagement in the planning and implementation of its climate actions. Having designed emission reduction plans for cooling, cooking and lighting - through energy efficient refrigerators and clean energy cooking and lighting appliances - Ghana developed an investor guide to attract financing from the private sector for low carbon development.
More info about the NDC Dialogue can be found here. | | | | | The twelfth round of technical analysis under the international consultation and analysis (ICA) process was convened in Bonn, Germany, from 25 February to 1 March 2019. Biennial update reports (BUR) submitted by six developing country Parties (BUR1 for El Salvador, Côte d'Ivoire, Malaysia and Yemen, and BUR2 for Azerbaijan, Ghana and Malaysia) were technically analyzed by two teams of technical experts (TTE). | 25/03/2019 09:23 | Laure Fouchecourt | 25/03/2019 09:23 | 25.03.2019 |
The
twelfth round of technical analysis under the international consultation and
analysis (ICA) process was convened in Bonn, Germany, from 25 February to 1
March 2019. Biennial update reports (BUR) submitted by six developing country
Parties (BUR1 for El Salvador, Côte d'Ivoire, Malaysia and Yemen, and BUR2
for Azerbaijan, Ghana and Malaysia) were technically analyzed by two
teams of technical experts (TTE).
During
the opening session, the secretariat reiterated that the ICA process provides
a useful “testing ground” for developing countries to participate in the
enhanced transparency framework in the next few years. The successful
adoption of the transparency modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs) at
the twenty fourth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24), was
underscored as setting the direction for the implementation of the enhanced
transparency framework under the Paris Agreement. Information was provided to
enable the experts to have a better understanding of the timelines in transitioning
from the implementation of the existing MRV system to the new transparency
framework. Experts were therefore encouraged to fully engage in the technical
analysis process, that will facilitate this transition.
The
participation of some experts in negotiating the MPGs and their knowledge of
the special circumstances of developing country Parties, further enhanced the
technical analysis process and consultation with Parties being analysed during
the technical analysis week. The TTEs were quite keen to participate and support
Parties, particularly in identifying capacity-building needs, that could
improve their transparency of reporting and readiness for successful
implementation of the enhanced transparency framework.
Over the next nine months, the TTEs, in consultation with
the Parties, will prepare the summary reports for each of the Parties analysed.
Once published on the secretariat’s website, these summary reports will serve
as input to the facilitative sharing of views process for these Parties. In the
long term, the experiences and lessons learned by the secretariat, experts and
Parties will be an important source of information for successful
implementation of the enhanced transparency framework.
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