Please register using this link

Background

The Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) established under the Paris Agreement represents a cornerstone for building mutual trust and confidence and promoting effective implementation of climate action. A key component of the ETF is the requirement for all Parties to submit Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), marking a significant evolution from previous reporting mechanisms and a crucial step towards greater accountability in global climate efforts. The deadline for the first BTR submission is fast approaching (by 31 December 2024), making this a critical period for countries.

As countries, particularly those in the Asia and Pacific regions, transition to this new framework and prepare their first BTRs, they encounter diverse experiences, challenges, and opportunities. This includes aligning national systems with detailed Modalities, Procedures, and Guidelines (MPGs), addressing potential data gaps, enhancing technical capacity for complex reporting areas (like GHG inventories, tracking NDC progress, and reporting support needed and received), ensuring robust institutional arrangements, and navigating the use of new reporting tools. The diverse economic, environmental, and institutional landscape across these regions add layers of complexity. 

Sharing the initial lessons learned from countries that have successfully navigated the BTR submission process, alongside understanding the intricacies of the subsequent technical expert review, is invaluable. This knowledge exchange is crucial for mutual learning, capacity building, and enhancing the quality and efficiency of future reporting cycles across the region. This webinar aims to facilitate this vital exchange, focusing specifically on the practical experiences of preparing and submitting the first BTRs and demystifying the technical expert review process.

Objective

This webinar series aims to facilitate knowledge exchange across the Asia and Pacific regions by showcasing firsthand experiences from countries that have successfully submitted their first Biennial Transparency Reports. Participants will gain valuable insights into common technical and methodological challenges encountered during BTR preparation, while learning about effective strategies and innovative solutions that have proven successful. The sessions will demystify the UNFCCC technical expert review process, providing clarity on timelines, procedures, and reviewer expectations. By identifying specific capacity-building needs and creating opportunities for regional networking, the webinar seeks to strengthen collaborative approaches to Enhanced Transparency Framework implementation, ultimately supporting countries at various stages of their BTR preparation journey.

Specific Objectives:

• To share firsthand experiences, insights, challenges, and successes encountered by countries in the Asia region during the preparation and submission of their first BTRs.
• To provide a platform for countries across the Asia and Pacific regions to learn from these early BTR submission experiences.
• To identify common technical and methodological challenges faced during BTR preparation (e.g., data acquisition, specific reporting tables, use of reporting tools).
• To highlight successful strategies, best practices, and innovative solutions employed by submitting countries.
• To offer clear insights into the UNFCCC technical expert review process for BTRs, including timelines, procedures, expectations, and common areas of focus.
• To understand specific capacity-building needs related to BTR submission and the subsequent review process.
• To foster regional collaboration, networking, and peer learning on ETF implementation, specifically concerning BTRs.

This session will delve into the crucial phase following BTR submission – the Technical Expert Review. Experts (e.g., from the UNFCCC Secretariat, seasoned reviewers) will provide a comprehensive overview of the TER's mandate, objectives, and procedures as outlined in the MPGs. The presentation will clarify the review timeline, the composition and role of the Technical Expert Review Team (TERT), and the step-by-step process, from initial assessment to the final review report. Emphasis will be placed on the facilitative nature of the review, which aims to assess the BTR's consistency with ETF requirements, identify areas of improvement, and highlight capacity-building needs, rather than being solely an audit. Key aspects like the review of the GHG inventory, information necessary to track progress towards NDCs, support needed and received, and areas of flexibility will be discussed.

Building on the procedural overview, this part will focus on practical guidance for countries. It will cover how countries can effectively prepare for the review, including organizing national teams, preparing supporting documentation, and understanding the interaction modalities (e.g., during the review week, responding to questions). Insights into common findings, potential technical challenges identified during reviews, and areas frequently requiring clarification will be shared to help countries anticipate and address issues proactively.

A dedicated Q&A session for participants to seek clarification on any aspect of the TER process.