Global Climate Change Alliance: Informing the International Climate Debate Measuring, reporting and verification (MRV): Implications for national climate information and M&E systems? [email protected] Climate Change Group IIED

The UNFCCC context • Bali Action Plan (2007) calls for national and international action on mitigation implemented in ways that are measurable, reportable and verifiable (MRV) • Cancún Agreements (2010) extend MRV to the financial, technological and capacity-building support provided to developing countries to meet their reporting obligations, implement mitigation actions and adapt to climate change.

What is MRV? • Measuring – quantitative estimates of GHG emissions and removals by sinks, financial, technological and capacity-building support to developing countries. • Reporting - Parties communicate progress in achieving various objectives, meeting obligations and implementing activities. • Verification - Procedures to ensure that the reported information is prepared in accordance with the agreed methodologies

Linking MRV to M&E • Confusion in the literature among ‘Measurement’ and ‘Monitoring’ • Confusion more problematic when MRV applied to climate adaptation and resilience • When metrics are straight forward and agreed measurement and monitoring not difficult • ‘Reporting’ involves mutual accountability and requires negotiation • ‘Verification’ implies independent checking and could map onto ‘Evaluation’

MRV and M&E under the Convention – still a work in progress • Issues that need addressed in any new international climate agreement: – How to best measure, monitor and report GHG emissions and mitigation activities incl. REDD+ – Tracking and reporting of support to non-Annex I countries – Verification arrangements – Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation actions and their effectiveness

MRV and M&E of mitigation • Bali Action Plan calls for MRV compliant NAMAs supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity building. But … • No common guidelines for internationally and domestically supported NAMAs • Establishment of forest monitoring systems and for REDD-related MRV are still in negotiation • CDM activities are also dependant upon agreed emissions baselines and (complex) monitoring methodologies

MRV and M&E of climate adaptation • No specific work programme under the Convention Adaptation Committee met Sept 2013 in Fiji to discuss M&E issues

• M&E of adaptation particularly important for developing countries because of its relevance to poverty reduction and development objectives • Specific technical challenges related to adaptation types, attribution, time lags between implementation and impact, moving baselines of escalating effects etc. • [ pls see the Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development concepts paper at http://pubs.iied.org/17143IIED.html ]

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LEG guidance on M&E of NAPs • Monitor the NAP process – Identify what to evaluate e.g. effectiveness; Define metrics and indicators; Collect information

• Review the NAP process to assess progress, effectiveness and gaps – Compile primary & secondary information; Review activities undertaken

• Update the NAP – Repeat selected steps as appropriate; Align updates with relevant national development plans

• Outreach on the NAP process and reporting on progress and effectiveness – Disseminate NAP to UNFCCC etc; Provide information in national communications on progress in and effectiveness of NAP process

MRV and M&E of climate finance • Pledges of climate finance predicated on effective MRV and M&E • There needs to be – Tracking flows of climate finance and other support provided [ see http://pubs.iied.org/17141IIED.html ] – Monitoring compliance with pledges of financial support – Assessment of “additionality” of climate finance to development support

• The registry of NAMAs facilitates the provision of support to NAMAs

Some GCCA experiences • MRV relevant research - Burkina Faso, Eastern and Southern Africa, the Pacific • Civil society and private sector involvement in monitoring - Central African Republic, Lesotho, the Maldives • Managing and dissemination of MRV-related knowledge - Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Jamaica, Tanzania • Tracking of climate change-related resource allocations - Bhutan and Cambodia

Some GCCA experiences • Monitoring systems for adaptation and mitigation Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Guyana, Lesotho, ClimDev Africa Benin • REDD+ mitgation-related monitoring & reporting Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Caribbean • Regional climate monitoring systems Caribbean, ClimDev Africa, Lower Mekong Basin, South Pacific, Western Africa

Implications for national climate information and M&E systems? • Integration of climate MRV and M&E into national development systems is crucial for effectiveness • Despite the 2001 Marrakesh Accord and LDCF workplan little capacity development for climate MRV and M&E • However, capacity is not absent but fragmented and therefore ways need found to bring it together • Developed and developing countries are struggling with the same climate MRV and M&E problems Therefore: • Strong possibilities for south/ north collaboration • No asymmetric expectations on performance

Conclusions • The complexity of climate MRV and M&E challenges national systems South and North • Assessment of climate responses needs integrated into national development planning systems • GCCA projects have made a start to build on data & systems for integration - but not systematically emphasised • Assessing adaptation effectiveness is necessary but challenging - a study of M&E in GCCA-adaptation projects would be useful • Is capacity absent or fragmented - a proper assessment of national capabilities for MRV and M&E needs done

Questions proposed for discussion From your experience with MRV and M&E of mitigation, REDD+, adaptation and or climate finance 1. How can the emerging UNFCCC MRV and M&E requirements/ recommendations be reconciled with the needs for integration into national development planning systems?

2. How can climate MRV and M&E be more effective for national development and what should climate change negotiators and the international development community do?