Support to developing countries

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Overview

To promoting an effective participation by all Parties in the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) arrangements under the Convention, and in the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement, concrete and effective support to developing countries is fundamental.

A broad range of support opportunities are available to developing countries with a view to enhancing their capacities, promoted by the UNFCCC secretariat, constituted bodies and other multilateral institutions and non-governmental organizations. These include direct support in preparation of national transparency reports (e.g., National Communications, Biennial Transparency Reports) and in the development of national GHG inventories, the provision of financial and technical support and assistance, the development of knowledge materials, the provision of training programmes, and more.

Learn more

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Background information on support available to developing country Parties (version April 2025)

Mandated events

At SBI 62: Workshop for sharing of experience of developing country Parties in preparing
the first biennial transparency reports

Date: 18 June 2025, 10:00-13:00
Venue: Room Nairobi, WCCB
Event page

At SBI 62: Facilitative dialogue as per paragraph 19 of decision 18/CMA.5

Date: 18 June 2025, 15:00-18:00
Venue: Room Nairobi, WCCB Bonn
Event page

Events

Mandated events at SBI 60

At SBI 60: In-person workshop on support available to developing country Parties for preparing their biennial transparency reports and enhancing sustainable institutional capacity and national reporting systems within their governments for implementing the ETF, and in providing guidance on the application process for transparency-related projects.

Date: Tuesday, 4 June 2024, 15:00-18:00 CEST
Venue: AAH Upper Conference Room, UN Campus, Bonn
Presentation ETF Workshop
Pictures of the event
Events page is available here

At SBI 60: In-session facilitative dialogue to share experience in gathering, analyzing and managing data.

Date: Monday, 10 June 2024, 10:00-18:00 CEST
Venue: WCCB Bangkok
Webcast: https://unfccc-events.azureedge.net/SB60_101082/agendato
Events page is available here

Prior to SBI 60: Regional online workshops on ETF support

Prior to SBI 60: Regional online workshops on support available to developing country Parties for preparing their biennial transparency reports and enhancing sustainable institutional capacity and national reporting systems within their governments for implementing the ETF, and in providing guidance on the application process for transparency-related projects.

Background information on support available to developing country Parties (version April 2025)

2024 Regional online workshop playlist

Event page is available here

Workshop 1: 15 April, Monday, 17:00 CEST (recommended for Latin America and the Caribbean and Northern America)

Workshop 2: 16 April, Tuesday, 13:00 CEST (recommended for Africa and Europe)

Workshop 3: 17 April, Wednesday, 08:00 CEST (recommended for Asia and Pacific)

Workshop 4: 18 April, Thursday, 22:00 CEST (recommended for Pacific) Please kindly note that for some countries in the Pacific, this will be from morning to noon on 19 April.

Financial and Technical Support

The main channel for the provision of technical assistance and support under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement transparency processes in relation to measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) and the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) to developing country Parties is the CGE.

Financial and technical support and assistance are essential for developing countries in preparation of their national reports and on their obligations within the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

Some of the key actors involved in enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties on MRV and ETF include the secretariat, the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), Global Support Programme for National Communications and Biennial Update Reports (GSP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

In addition, there are numerous other actors including IGOs, NGOs, institutions and other agencies that make significant contributions.

Consultative Group of Experts (CGE)

The secretariat

One of the functions of the secretariat is to facilitate assistance to developing country Parties in preparing their NCs and BURs, and more soon BTRs. This includes facilitating the work of the CGE, organizing training workshops, developing appropriate tools and guidance materials, collaborating with bilateral and multilateral support programmes, disseminating information on transparency arrangements under the Convention and the Paris Agreement, promoting exchange of information, lessons learned and experiences, and conducting needs assessment.

Support provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

National Communications (NC)

The GEF can provide up to US$ 500,000 to each non-Annex I Party to finance activities related to the preparation of NCs.

Biennial Update Reports (BUR)

As per the GEF policy guidelines, non-Annex I Parties can access up to US$352,000 through a GEF agency or via direct access for the preparation of BURs. Since January 1, 2022, BUR support for Parties to the Paris Agreement was phased out.
GEF Policy Guidelines and Application Form for funding of BURs

Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR)

The GEF has made available three modalities to developing country Parties to the Paris Agreement, for supporting the preparation of BTRs. As modality 1, these countries can access up to $600,000 for the preparation of a stand-alone BTR; as modality 2, can access up to $633,000 for the preparation of a combined BTR and NC; and as modality 3, can access additional (top-up) financing of $250,000, maximum, to an ongoing EA project. Modality 3 will be available from January 1, 2023, onwards.

Information note on the financing of BTRs for developing country Parties to the Paris Agreement

Support provided by the Global Support Programme (GSP)

Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT)

The Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) supports developing country Parties, upon request, in meeting enhanced transparency requirements as defined in Article 13 of the Agreement in a timely manner. the trust fund is administered by the GEF and open for applications through the climate change focal area.

For detailed information, read the programming directions for CBIT.

CBIT Global Coordination Platform

The CBIT Global Coordination Platform is funded by the GEF and is under implementation by UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre until the end of 2026, and supports the management of the capacity-building Initiative for transparency in line with the programming directions for CBIT. It brings together practitioners from countries and agencies and focuses on the provision of global streamlined support, capacity building and coordination, to help developing countries meet enhanced transparency requirements under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.

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Guidelines, Manual and Tools

The CGE and the secretariat provide tools, guidance documents and training materials to facilitate implementation of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), and enhanced transparency framework (ETF) by developing country Parties in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

Enhanced Transparency Framework ETF

At COP 21 (2015), Parties, aiming to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, adopted the Paris Agreement and through it established an enhanced transparency framework (ETF) designed to build trust and confidence that all countries are contributing their share to the global effort. The core arrangements of the enhanced transparency framework are illustrated in the figure below.

Building on the existing MRV arrangements under the Convention, the Katowice conference (COP24, Dec. 2018) fleshed out a framework that is applicable to all countries by adopting decision 18/CMA.1 on a detailed set of modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs) that make it operational.

In that context, the final biennial update reports for developing countries are those submitted no later than 31 December 2024 and Parties under the Paris Agreement are required to submit their first biennial transparency report (BTR1) and national inventory report, if submitted as a stand-alone report, in accordance with the MPGs, at the latest by 31 December 2024.

For further information, please refer to the ETF Training Material.

Measurement, Reporting and Verification MRV

At COP 13, through the Bali Action Plan, Parties agreed on the principle of applying measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) for developing country Parties, which laid the foundation for the subsequent elaboration of the existing comprehensive MRV framework for developing country Parties. MRV occurs at the international level, but can also be voluntary at the national level.

Measurement (M) for non-Annex I Parties applies both to efforts to address climate change and to the impacts of these efforts. It occurs at the national level and refers to GHG emissions, mitigation actions and their effects, and the support needed and received;

Reporting (R) for non-Annex I Parties is implemented through the national communications and BURs, where Parties report on their actions to address climate change in their national communications;

Verification (V) is addressed at the international level, through the ICA of BURs; It can also occur at the national level, but is voluntary.

As per the reporting requirements under the Convention, the developing countries submit their National Communications (NCs) and Biennial Update Reports (BURs) to the secretariat, where BURs go through the ICA process including a technical analysis by a team of technical experts (TTE) and facilitative sharing of views (FSV).

For more information please refer to MRV training material.

Compendium on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Baselines & Monitoring

The development of effective climate strategies to implement appropriate and cost-effective mitigation actions rests upon the availability of comprehensive data and the application of sound assessment methods for emission reduction potentials. Unfortunately, many countries lack comprehensive sector-specific emission inventories and mitigation scenario analysis to inform sound climate action planning. The UNFCCC together with partner organizations are addressing this in the form of the development of a Compendium on national and sector specific GHG Baselines and Monitoring that countries could use to better estimate and report on greenhouse emission reductions/removals arising from implementation of mitigation actions.

Guide for Peer Review of National GHG Inventories

In response to Parties expressing ongoing challenges surrounding the process to establish and apply quality assurance and quality control procedures (QA/QC), the secretariat, with the support of the Global Support Programme (GSP) for National Communications and Biennial Update Reports (GSP), prepared this guide to with a view to overcoming these challenges. The guide along with the downloadable worksheet can be used for this exercise.

Worksheet (Excel)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assesses the scientific, technical and socioeconomic information relevant for the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change.

The IPCC is an independent body founded under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The IPCC is best known for its comprehensive assessment reports, incorporating summaries for policymakers from a synthesis report and from all three Working Groups, which are widely recognized as the most credible sources of scientific information on climate change. In October 2014, the latest and Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC (AR5) was finalized.

IPCC FAQ on Greenhouse Gas Inventories

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Training

The secretariat, by its UNFCCC Climate Action and Support Transparency Training (UNFCCC-CASTT) programme, and the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) offer a range of training initiatives to developing country Parties to facilitate capacity building and the preparation of national communications (NCs) and biennial update reports (BURs) in a timely manner, as well as to promote effective participation to the enhanced transparency framework under the Paris Agreement.

CGE trainings

The secretariat and the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) offer a range of training initiatives to developing country Parties to facilitate capacity building and the preparation of national communications (NCs) and biennial update reports (BURs) in a timely manner.

CASTT trainings

UNFCCC Climate Action and Support Transparency Training (UNFCCC-CASTT) is a capacity-building programme designed to cater to stakeholders at all levels of competencies within national climate governance and implementation.

The primary objective of the UNFCCC-CASTT is to promote effective and universal participation of countries in the MRV arrangements under the Convention and the enhanced transparency framework under the Parties Agreement through a targeted, professional and comprehensive capacity-building.

Under the UNFCCC-CASTT umbrella, three training modules are offered to interested Parties:

UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT programme on greenhouse gas inventories;
Adaptation Academy on vulnerability and adaptation assessment;
ETF Blended Course, combining online and in-person programs, on enhanced transparency framework.

The secretariat is currently collaborating with a number of institutions and partners to provide these training programmes.

CGE training initiatives

Workshops

As a part of its work plan in 2021, the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE), with the assistance of the UNFCCC secretariat, is organizing a series of regional hands-on training workshops on the institutional arrangements for the existing MRV arrangements and the enhanced transparency framework, including data management for national GHG inventories. Taking into account the prevailing COVID-19 situation globally and its impacts, these workshops will be organized virtually.

After completing the virtual training, participants shall have:

Enhanced understanding of MRV and the ETF;
Knowledge of the key components of institutional arrangements, including data management for GHG inventories, in the context of existing MRV and the transition to the ETF;
Capacity to articulate the areas that are essential to setting up, sustaining and continually improving institutional and legal arrangements, to support the existing MRV arrangements and the ETF, including data management for GHG inventories;
Acquired examples of tools and practical experiences that can be built on and/or applied to establish or strengthen institutional arrangements;
Discussed gaps and capacity-building needs to establishing and reporting on institutional arrangements for the transition to the ETF.

More information on CGE workshops

Webinars

The CGE Webinar Series is a platform for practitioners to focus in-depth on specific methods or tools, such as GHG inventory, mitigation, vulnerability and adaptation, and support including:

How a country can better implement the current Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV);
How a country can better showcase its climate action on mitigation and adaptation through national communications and biennial update reports;
Improving the understanding of the 2006 IPCC guidelines building on experiences from the use of Revised 1996 IPCC guidelines, including the Good Practice Guidance;
Methodologies used and tools available.

More information on the CGE Webinar Series

Training programme for Team of Experts (TTE)

The Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) has developed a training programme for the technical experts on the UNFCCC roster who upon completion shall be eligible to join undertake the technical analysis of submitted biennial update reports (BURs).The course is on the UNFCCC Learning Management Platform (LMS) and upon completion experts will be issued with a certificate.

UNFCCC Climate Action and Support Transparency Training (CASTT)

UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT

UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT is a professional four-week training programme on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories for national experts from developing countries. The programme is being offered annually in collaboration with the Greenhouse Gas inventory & Research Center of Korea (GIR) since 2017. It aims to enhance the technical capacity and overall competency of experts from developing countries to enable them to prepare and report high-quality GHG inventories. In total, 221 trainees representing 89 developing countries have successfully completed the training programme between 2017 and 2024.

The program begins in August and run for three weeks. More information on the eligibility requirements here.

Adaptation Academy

The CASTT Adaptation Academy aims to enhance the ability of developing countries to conduct vulnerability and adaptation assessments, prepare and report, in timely manner, information resulting from such assessments and the implementation of national adaptation actions, including their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), for their national communications, biennial update reports, and biennial transparency reports under the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) arrangements of the Convention and the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the Paris Agreement.

The 3 – 4 week training programme focuses on imparting technical knowledge in the key components of the existing MRV arrangements and ETF, the exchange of views, lessons learned and experiences, and internalizing and mainstreaming climate change activities.

Other topics include planning, policy frameworks, coordination across ministries and governance levels, working with the private sector, finance and cost-benefit analyses, vulnerability and risk assessments, ecosystems, infrastructure, transboundary considerations, and social, gender, and cultural equity issues. Specific sessions will also explore aspects relating to agriculture, DRR, energy, cities, coastal regions, and mountainous and high-elevation areas. In addition, the training will include components specifically tailored to regional climatic challenges of each node’s participants to put the broader lessons into more usable and practical contexts.

ETF blended course

The ETF Blended Course is a hybrid training programme with in-person and online components, aimed at empowering policymakers, government officials and national experts in understanding and implementing the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. ICAT, UNFCCC, UNEP and UNSSC are collaborating to develop and roll out the programme.

Upon completion, participants will be able to better assess climate policy options (both mitigation and adaptation) and their impacts (GHG, sustainable development and transformational change), and help their countries better formulate, improve and track progress of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). This will also enable them to be prepared for reporting under the Paris Agreement.

Course topics

The training will focus on modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs) of the ETF, tracking of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), as well as cross-cutting issues such as benefits of transparency, institutional capacity, legal framework, stakeholder engagement, and technical reviews.