Background 

The Paris Agreement (PA) established an Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) to build trust and confidence around global efforts to combat climate change. The modalities, procedures, and guidelines (MPGs) were adopted to operationalize the ETF, which demand Parties to submit their first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) by 2024, with flexibility for Least Developed Countries and Small Islands Developing Countries. 

Sierra Leone’s commitment is to reduce its domestic GHG emissions by 10% by 2030 as compared to a no-policy scenario of 2015 to 2030, with an intermediary indicative mitigation target of a 5% reduction by 2025 against the same baseline. In the longer term, Sierra Leone’s mitigation ambition is to cut GHG emissions by 25% in 2050 with the inclusion of additional sectors and gases in the successive NDCs with clear and measurable mitigation targets and specific actions. In order to contribute to the mitigation of global GHG emissions, Sierra Leone’s commitment is to reduce its domestic GHG emissions of 10% by 2030 as compared to a no-policy scenario of 2015 to 2030, with an intermediary indicative mitigation target of 5% reduction by 2025 against the same baseline.

Currently, Sierra Leone is in the final process of submitting the First BUR. When the process is concluded by 2023, the country will start the process of developing BTR. This process will concede the requirements to comply with the ETF requirements,  the country is preparing to submit its BTR in 2027 as part of the flexibility provision for Least Developed Countries and Small Islands Developing Countries. The modalities, procedures, and guidelines MPG decision (para 3) provide that Parties shall submit their first biennial transparency report and national inventory report, if submitted as a stand-alone report,  at the latest by 31 December 2024. In addition, the decision (para 4)  provides that the least developed country Parties and small island developing States may submit the information referred to in Article 13, paragraphs 7, 8, 9, and 10, of the Paris Agreement at their discretion (UNFCCC 2023).

For this purpose, the Global Support Program (CBIT-GSP) condcuted this activity for the development of a roadmap for the first BTR. This activity will help Siera Leone to encourage the involvement and support of their task forces and relevant stakeholders, support the efficient collection of information for the BTR tool, and generate an improved roadmap that ensures its applicability and easy implementation. Having an improved roadmap will help Sierra Leone attract donor funds for both the BTR and elements of a national transparency system and will support the development of the first BTR in line with the reporting requirements of the framework reinforced transparency.

While the roadmap is a valuable resource for countries, there are opportunities to improve the applicability of the BTR tool with the aim of generating an improved roadmap that accurately reflects national circumstances and capacities. 

Objective of the activity

The objective of the activity was to technically support Sierra Leone in the generation of a country-specific roadmap for the planning, elaboration and presentation of the first BTR through the effective application of the PATPA/FAO BTR tool.