The enhanced transparency framework
In the architecture of the Paris Agreement, the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) provides the process by which the world gathers relevant data and information to measure success and keep track of progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement - holding the temperature increase to 2oC above pre-industrial levels and striving to hold it to 1.5oC, increasing the ability to adapt to climate change and become more resilient, and making finance flows consistent with these goals. The nationally determined contributions (NDCs) contain a country's plans for how it will contribute to these goals.
Participation in the ETF will allow governments to better plan for and prioritize their climate actions, and to identify what needs to be done for them to transform their economies to a more climate friendly one with low emissions and high resilience. Mobilizing action now to prepare for the ETF sets the stage to allow sub-national actors and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to support governments in building the best pathway and prepare for the first biennial transparency report (BTR) to be submitted by 31 December 2024.
After the first BTR is submitted, regular reporting under the ETF will provide a continuous platform for countries to learn from each other and create further opportunities to forge new relationships and collaborations.
Tracking the progress towards the goals of the NDC and the support that has been provided is crucial for Parties, as they simultaneously strive to sustainably grow and transform their economies, recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and meet their goals under the Paris Agreement. It shows where investment and other effort are needed and prioritized and where efforts are meeting expectations or need to be further evaluated.
The ETF starts now
While NDCs are the contributions that every country pledges to undertake in view of the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the ETF is an essential element to build mutual trust amongst all stakeholders and also to generate the confidence in one another and in the Agreement.
In sum, universal participation in the ETF enables countries to work together to deliver the goals of the Paris Agreement. By beginning now, stakeholders can learn from each other and build mutual trust and confidence that will unleash long-term transformational development and ambitious climate action.
Countries are beginning at different starting points and achieving this universal participation requires many steps, both small and bold, by many actors. The ETF is designed with built-in flexibility that takes into account Parties’ different starting points and capacities. But the full benefits of participation in the ETF can only be realized by catalyzing engagement at the highest political levels, building domestic capacities and extended support.
Introducing the initiative
The Universal Participation in the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) initiative seeks to bring everyone together – all countries, support organizations, the business community, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders – who are interested in realizing the benefits of the ETF under a common banner, which in turn can help amplify existing efforts and spark new ideas.
Everyone has an important role to play in ensuring the success of the ETF and the Paris Agreement.
This global initiative will help bring together actors and activities geared towards the implementation of the ETF by all stakeholders. To this end, the initiative will:
Facilitate enhanced access to support to developing country Parties by offering a platform for wider-stakeholder engagement, including North-South and South-South cooperation
Mobilize support needed for building-up and strengthening domestic capacities for Parties and other stakeholders including robust and sustainable institutional arrangements for climate relevant data
Increase political awareness and buy-in at the highest national level for an evidence-based national decision-making process with a broad base of stakeholder engagement
Generate global momentum towards enhancing the understanding of the importance and benefits of transparent climate relevant data and information for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The initiative will serve as an informal platform for this international coalition to motivate and incentivize ambition of both action and support in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and to contribute with their activities.
The initiative will further provide a platform to mobilize support to developing countries and to tailor the support to their needs. To this end the secretariat will launch a series of global ETF dialogues, across all regions, that will operate at political and technical levels, to build capacities, facilitate access to support, increase political awareness and buy-in and generate a global momentum for the implementation of the ETF.