Last month, the Regional Collaboration Centre for Latin America (RCC LatAm) concluded a training programme aimed at improving the Government of Panama officials’ capacity and expertise in developing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The participants, gathered at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) office in Panama, included government officials specialized in mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and transparency, who all dynamically engaged with the agenda.
All Parties are required to submit their revised NDC by February 2025 (NDC 3.0). RCC LatAm has been fielding requests for support from countries in the region for training on the essential tools and technical assistance to formulate their NDC 3.0.
The RCC designed an immersive session to address the Government of Panama’s request to bolster its officials’ capacities in developing and implementing NDCs while raising ambition, in reporting, and understanding the NDC's relation with other climate action instruments. This training also sought to guide participants to enhance the ambition of their previous NDC.
RCC LatAm also invited representatives from the Governments of Colombia and Uruguay, as well as strategic regional partners such as the NDC Partnership and UNEP, to inform on the technical and financial support available in the region and share examples through case studies. Engaging with these experts provided concrete insights and experiences. Of note, the RCC delivered the training and all material in Spanish, thus facilitating discussions for all on the topics covered.
The programme strategically focused on providing participants with a better understanding of the design process and the components involved in developing effective NDCs through a series of modules, covering a variety of topics such as NDC design, mitigation and adaptation measures, achievable target setting, and financing options and mechanisms for NDC implementation.
The high level of engagement from participants demonstrated that there is a demand for south-south cooperation, which is considered crucial for implementation in the region - through a high commitment to strengthen domestic capacities and drive climate action. Furthermore, participants expressed their interest in the topics discussed (in particular with financial instruments), through a satisfaction survey conducted as a follow-up to the workshop.
This training was tailored to fit the needs and circumstances of the LatAm countries, making it adjustable and replicable: it can serve to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement goals in the region, by, in particular, helping Parties to access climate finance and strengthen their capacity to develop and implement more ambitious NDCs.
Upcoming events include a similar training organized for the Government of Guatemala, followed by a webinar for Parties and a wider range of stakeholders in March.
For more information about the RCC LatAm and its upcoming initiatives, please visit UNFCCC's RCC Latin America website or get in touch with RCC-Latam@unfccc.int.
Credit: UN Climate Change
