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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

PARTIES to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Paris Agreement, among them Zimbabwe, are meeting in Victoria Falls to assess programmes made in implementing resolutions of the Paris Agreement and strategise on how to meet the less than 1,5 degrees Celsius emissions target.

Environment and climate experts from 37 developing countries around the world are meeting the UNFCCC Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) hands-on Africa regional training workshop.

The meeting seeks to unpack the enhanced transparency framework and its modalities, procedures and guidelines for the biennial transparency reports.

The workshop started yesterday and ends tomorrow. The objective of the meeting is to assess the progress in terms of implementing nationally determined contributions to climate change-related issues and taking stock of the implementation process.

The workshop is being hosted by the Consultative Group of Experts in partnership with Government.
Zimbabwe climate negotiator and CGE member representing Africa Mr Nesbert Samu said there are reporting obligations under the Convention as well as the Paris Agreement.

“The conference in essence brings together parties to the UNFCCC as well as parties to the Paris Agreement. There are reporting obligations under the Convention as well as under the Paris Agreement, and as we speak we are preparing to submit the biannual transparency report as provided for under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement,” he said.

“The whole idea is to take stock of the implementation process and progress that has been made in implementing nationally determined contributions by the parties which are essentially work plan that has been developed. We are addressing issues of climate change and trying as much as possible to meet the 1,5 degrees Celsius emission.”

Mr Samu said the training gives countries tools on how to effectively report progress made in terms of reducing emissions in the energy, agriculture and waste management sectors.

“Not recording the progress means countries may not know what they are doing in mitigation work and will not be able to improve or attract means of implementation, finance or technology which is critical in the transition agenda,” he said.

Mr Nesbert Samu

“So parties benefit from getting the skills to make sure that they will be able to report under the Paris Agreement.”Zimbabwe has been Party to the UNFCCC since 1994 and the Paris Agreement since 2017.

Speaking during the event, Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni said developing countries need to be capacitated with reporting procedures that will feed into a common voice going into UN Conference of Parties.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that crossing the 1,5°C threshold risks unleashing more severe climate change impacts, including more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves and flooding.

Dr Nyoni said the impacts of Tropical Cyclones are becoming more and more frequent and destructive due to increased intensity as seen in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Idai in 2019 which affected the eastern part of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

“This year, Zimbabwe and the region experienced one of the worst droughts in recent years and is already diverting resources towards food and water security to minimise the social and economic impacts.

“Zimbabwe recognises that transparency arrangements under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement are meant to ensure that all Parties are contributing towards addressing causes of climate change, enhancing adaptation capacities and directing financial flows towards climate resilience and low carbon development,” she said

Dr Nyoni said the work of the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) is assisting developing countries in improving their level of expertise in reporting per set guidelines.

“CGE provides our experts with the much-needed skills to ensure that we can review and critically analyse documents submitted to the UNFCCC by other Parties thereby providing information to hold each other to account,” she said.

Dr Nyoni said reporting by Parties under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement provides trust and confidence on which the UN-led global climate change agenda rests.

“The Consultative Group of Experts, therefore, has a mammoth task for the provision of technical assistance and support to developing country Parties in fulfilling their reporting requirements,” she said.

“Our data and information systems about measurement, reporting and verification of climate action need to be enhanced to provide accurate and informed response policies.”Dr Nyoni expressed gratitude to the UNFCCC’s CGE for organising the technical workshop and choosing Zimbabwe as the host country.