Background

Montenegro’s Fourth National Communication (NC4) and First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) were developed with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and submitted to the UNFCCC in February 2025. This milestone reflects Montenegro’s strong commitment to climate action.

On February 14, 2025, the Government adopted its Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for 2030 and 2035, setting ambitious emission reduction targets—55% by 2030 and 60% by 2035—covering all sectors, including LULUCF. Additionally, the Climate Change Adaptation Plan for 2025–2035 and its Action Plan for 2025–2027 were adopted in July 2025, providing a strategic framework to reduce climate risks across society, the economy, and the environment.

Under the GEF-funded CBIT project, Montenegro is establishing a fully operational national MRV system, including:

• Defined roles and responsibilities for stakeholders
• Developed methodologies, procedures, and guidelines (MPGs)
• An online portal centralizing mitigation, GHG inventory, and climate finance data

The project aims to strengthen institutional and technical capacities for transparency-related activities under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. The upcoming Climate Change Law will further reinforce this framework, incorporating EU ETS mechanisms, MRV systems, and sectoral targets.

Despite progress, Montenegro requires additional expert and technical assistance to align its national system with ETF standards and implement new legal frameworks. Training on the ETF reporting tool is essential to support BTR2 preparation and ensure accurate, consistent reporting.

Objective

The primary objective of this support is to enhance the technical capacity of Montenegro’s national institutions—particularly the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development and the Environment Agency—in tracking and reporting GHG inventory, NDC, and support needed and received under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).

Montenegro submitted its First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) and Fourth National Communication (NC4) in early 2025. However, due to technical challenges accessing the ETF digital reporting tool, the associated Common Tabular Formats (CTFs) and structured summary tables (CRTs) were not submitted. Now that access issues have been resolved, targeted training on the ETF tool is essential to support the preparation of BTR2, ensure completeness of submissions, and align with ETF reporting requirements.

Expected Outcome

This support will enable the Ministry and relevant counterpart organizations to strengthen their capacities and better align with ETF reporting requirements. The expected outcomes include:

• Achieving full compliance with UNFCCC reporting requirements and enhancing the overall quality of submissions
• Enhancing institutional arrangements and developing specific technical capacities
• Increasing the overall transparency and accuracy of climate-related data and reports
• Providing training and resources to ensure sustainable and effective reporting practices

By achieving these outcomes, the programme will address Montenegro’s needs for enhanced climate transparency and alignment with international standards.

Audience

This activity is intended for technical officers and experts involved in Montenegro’s climate reporting processes, including:

• Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development
• Environment Agency
• Other institutions contributing to the preparation and submission of Montenegro’s climate reports under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement

Approach

The support will be delivered through a combination of in-country and online training, consultancy services, and technical guidance. The proposed activities include:

• Targeted training on the use of the ETF digital reporting tool
• Capacity-building sessions focused on the preparation of Common Tabular Formats (CTFs) and structured summary tables (CRTs)
• Technical guidance on aligning national reporting with ETF modalities, procedures, and guidelines