Tracking countries' progress within the Enhanced Transparency Framework
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The Paris Agreement set forth a global goal for climate change adaptation and established the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) for tracking and reporting climate change actions towards achieving the global temperature and adaptation goals.
To operationalize the ETF, the Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines (MPGs) stipulate how countries will be compiling the biennial transparency reports (BTRs). The BTRs will enable the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) to periodically take stock of implementation and collective progress in achieving the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement, known as the Global Stocktake (GST).
Although countries have outlined their mitigation and adaptation plans, actions, and targets in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and in their National Adaptation Plan (NAP), existing national MRV and M&E systems often have an insufficient level of detail and face several barriers to transparency. These barriers include a lack of reliable data and inconsistent methodologies/metrics on how to monitor and report on mitigation and adaptation.
The barriers to transparency are particularly compounded in the land-use and agriculture sectors, given the existence of multiple metrics, the complexity and diversity of agricultural and ecosystems; the inconsistency of methodologies. Transparency needs to rely on and compare data across the local and global scale to report at domestic and international levels.
To ensure compliance with the transparency requirements, a significant strengthening of national institutions is needed.
SCALA and the UNFCCC Paris Agreement processes
SCALA is also contributing to the ongoing discussion under the Glasgow–Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). This two-year program was launched at COP26 with the following objectives: to enhance the understanding of the GGA and how to review progress towards achieving it; to enhance the implementation of adaptation action and support; and to communicate and report on adaptation needs and action.
The UNFCCC Secretariat has planned to organize four workshops per year to advance the operationalization of the GGA. In 2022, SCALA participated in the third workshop focused on "Methodologies, indicators, data and metrics, monitoring and evaluation," held 17-18 October 2022 in Cairo, Egypt. SCALA was invited to present on the experiences of FAO and UNDP in building and improving national M&E systems in the context of the NAPs and NDCs, focusing on the capacity development support provided to countries to measure progress on the goals and targets articulated in these policies.
SCALA’s approach
While the focus is on improving transparency-related reporting to the UNFCCC under the ETF, strengthened systems and processes will contribute to streamlined reporting on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SCALA programme approach consists of three key steps:
The SCALA programme technical support provides support for:
- Design/improvement and implementation of a sustainable and robust MRV system for the land-use and agriculture sectors.
- Design/improvement and implementation of a sectoral national M&E system for the land-use and agriculture sectors.
With the support of partners, key actors, and relying on existing tools and resources from both FAO and UNDP, the SCALA programme will enhance countries’ capacities to track and report on their progress in mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Relevant Resources
Colombia: Advancing monitoring and evaluation of adaptation in the agriculture sector