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The Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) is the backbone of the Paris Agreement. Defined in its Article 13, the ETF is designed to build mutual trust and promote effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, tracking the progress of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Global Environment Facility supports developing country Parties in building their institutional and technical capacities to meet the requirements of the ETF through several modalities.

In the battle against climate change, forests stand as stalwart allies. These green giants play a pivotal role in sequestering carbon dioxide, regulating the climate, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting livelihoods. However, the fate of forests worldwide hangs in a precarious balance due to deforestation, degradation, and unsustainable land management practices. To harness the full potential of forests in combating climate change, we must prioritize forest data transparency. Here are six ways in which transparency in forest data can amplify climate action and ambition:

The Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency, or CBIT, is part of the GEF's response

In the coming months countries have two unique opportunities to take decisive action to tackle the climate emergency. 2024 is a pivotal year for climate transparency and ambition as countries are required to submit their first-ever Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) by December 31, 2024 under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the Paris Agreement. Only two months later, by the end of February 2025, countries must also submit their next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Joint declaration of the heads of the Adaptation Fund, the Climate Investment Funds, the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund The need for collective, urgent, and ambitious action on climate is greater than ever before. As the results of the first global stocktake make clear, the world is not on track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. While progress is seen in some areas, much more is needed to reach net zero and adapt to climate impacts. A rigorous “all of economy, all of society” approach is needed across all systems and sectors.

A newly launched Climate Transparency Platform offers a one-stop shop to track countries’ latest reported progress towards global carbon reduction goals, providing a key source of information for governments, civil society, and academia on the road to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s COP28 summit in Dubai.

The Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) supports developing countries to build institutional and technical capacity to meet enhanced transparency requirements as defined in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. The CBIT plays a key role to assist countries with tools and training as they prepare their Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), due by December 2024. This publication provides a summary of CBIT support, with details on specific countries and project priorities.

In a boost to climate change governance, the Global Environment Facility will provide $32 million in pooled, streamlined funding to help developing countries prepare the transparency reports they are required to under the Paris Agreement. The new funding will finance the production of up to 50 countries’ National Communications and Biennial Transparency Reports, which are due to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by December 2024.

Over the past five years, the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) has helped more than 80 countries improve their ability to monitor and share their progress toward international climate goals. The improved reporting and transparency resulting from CBIT support has had a truly game-changing impact – not only for tracking progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also by supporting informed climate policy-making in countries around the world.

The Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT), created to help meet the enhanced transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement, has played an instrumental role in developing transparency-related institutional and technical capacities of non-Annex I countries.