April 3-5, 2024, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: CBIT-GSP in close cooperation with FAO and UNDP Turkmenistan supported the national team in improving their skills and knowledge on GHG Inventory for the Land Use Sector. A three days practical training covered land use classification, GHG emission sources and sinks, QA/QC procedures and quantification tools.

Key reflections of the training:

• In person training on Land Use Classification, QA/QC Procedures and Tools for the LULUCF Sector Towards National GHG Inventory Improvement involved the most targeted experts directly engaged in conducting GHG inventory for LULUCF sector in Turkmenistan. 
• As a result of the training, national experts enhanced awareness on the IPCC 2006 Guidelines application for the GHG inventory for LULUCF sector, particularly on land use classification, as a starting point for assessing GHG emissions and removals. 
• As a result of the training and practical exercises on land use classification, Land Use Matrix and GHG inventory assessment for each land use category, national experts tested available activity data on national land use categories and performed initial assessment of GHG emissions and removals, starting with alignment of national land use categories to the IPCC land use classification, building Land Use Matrix and using the IPCC Inventory Software.
• As a result of the training, national experts learned what QA/QC procedures according to the IPCC 2006 Guidelines could be performed for GHG inventory for LULUCF sector.

• As a result of the training, national experts and stakeholders familiarized themselves with benefits of the IPCC Inventory Software application for GHG inventory, in terms of minimizing possible errors in methodology application.

  Key take-away messages from the training:

• There is a need to strengthen the cooperation between national entities that provide activity data on national land use categories and experts conducting GHG inventory for LULUCF sector, as a part of the National Inventory System functionality.  
• There is a need in continuous national support to provide consistent and transparent data for GHG inventory in LULUCF sector, particularly area per national land use category and its definition, as well as an ancillary information serving as a basis for land use stratification, to facilitate the process of alignment with the IPCC land use classification, defining Land representation approach and building Land Use Matrix. 
• The IPCC Inventory Software could be the most appropriate, transparent, and reliable tool for conducting GHG inventory, that allows reflecting national circumstances in stratification of the activity data, particularly land use categories and sub-categories.