UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre 27d ago

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 Parties to submit Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), marking an evolution from previous reporting mechanisms and an important step toward strengthened accountability and comparability in climate reporting. As countries in the MENA region prepare, submit, and undergo Technical Expert Review (TER) of their BTRs, they are encountering a range of technical, methodological, and institutional challenges that cut across key report chapters. These challenges often relate to completing reporting tables (CRTs/CTFs), ensuring internal consistency across chapters (e.g., NIR–mitigation NDC alignment), operationalizing NDC tracking indicators and assumptions, structuring adaptation information in a coherent way, and compiling support needed and received across institutions. In many cases, limited data availability, fragmented data management arrangements, and evolving institutional coordination mechanisms add complexity and increase the burden on national teams. Experience from CBIT-GSP regional workshops and technical support to countries has shown that peer exchange and practical discussion of lessons learned are highly valuable. Hearing directly from countries that have already advanced in the BTR process—whether through submission, review, or responding to TER questions—can help other countries anticipate common issues, avoid repeated pitfalls, and strengthen the quality and efficiency of future reporting cycles. In this context, CBIT-GSP, in collaboration with the UNFCCC Secretariat and the RCC MENA SA, is organizing a MENA regional technical webinar to provide a platform for countries to openly discuss challenges encountered during BTR preparation and to share practical approaches, tools, and solutions—similar in spirit to the “knowledge exchange” approach highlighted in your reference concept note, but tailored to the MENA context and covering the main chapters in a single integrated discussion. This webinar aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange across the region by showcasing first-hand experiences from countries that have successfully submitted their first Biennial Transparency Reports. Participants gained valuable insights into common technical and methodological challenges encountered during BTR preparation, while learning about effective strategies and tools available to improve their reporting processes. Read more about the webinar here: https://climate-transparency-platform.org/events/mena-btr-knowledge-exchange-country-insights-self-assessment-checks-best-practices