In a bid to bolster national capacity for climate action reporting and set the stage for the submission of the first biennial transparency reports (BTR), the second Africa Dialogue on the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) took place during Africa Climate Week 2023. These reports are required from all signatory countries to the Paris Agreement by the end of 2024, representing a pivotal aspect of the ETF, signaling the progress in Paris Agreement implementation.
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The dialogue, part of the #Together4Transparency initiative leading up to the UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai, was hosted by UN Climate Change, the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), the Africa NDC Hub, and UNDP.
UN Climate Change Director Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga stressed the significance of high-level engagement in generating political momentum and commitment to mobilize resources and ensure transparency. Transparency is central to global climate action.
ICAT Director Henning Wuester emphasized the urgency to enhance climate action due to the off-track progress regarding the Paris Agreement. Transparency plays a vital role in mobilizing finance, verification, and building policy frameworks for the implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Significant progress has been made in strengthening national transparency frameworks since the inaugural session of the Regional Transparency Dialogues in Gabon last year. This includes the initiation of 11 new ICAT projects in Africa.
Ministers and policymakers from African nations highlighted their countries’ visions for the ETF process and the challenges it entails, such as inadequate financial resources, data gathering and processing, and capacity issues.
Transparency not only enhances the effectiveness of existing resources but also enhances credibility and access to support. The Africa ETF Dialogue emphasized the role of the ETF in making informed investment decisions for low-emission and climate-resilient development. Participants encouraged assessing the greenhouse gas impact of policies and measures when updating NDCs and designing new policies.
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Civil society representatives called for active participation in climate action planning, while media sought better access to climate data and reliable sources of information. The dialogues aimed to promote transparency, credibility, and progress toward climate action goals as the world looks ahead to COP28 in Dubai.