Monitoring and reporting of transparent forest data and information under the Paris Agreement: The role of National Forest Inventory networks

T5.13 Forest without borders: National Forest Inventory Networks and their potential for large scale monitoring and reporting
Jenny Wong Lai Ping1

1 United Nations Climate Change Secretariat, Bonn, Germany
The Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognizes the critical role of forests as terrestrial carbon sinks for combatting climate change and calls for transparency of climate actions, including those in the forest sector. The Paris Agreement continues to uphold the principle of transparency. It established the Enhanced
Transparency Framework (ETF) with the aim to build mutual trust and confidence among countries in their monitoring and reporting of climate actions and to track progress of such mitigation actions. Forests play a key role in all aspects of the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Numerous countries, both developed and developing, have identified forest and land use-related mitigation and adaptation measures and actions as part of their climate targets in their nationally determined contributions to fulfill the goal of the Paris Agreement.

The world is now in an era where transparency of data and information and actions are indispensable for ensuring coordination among relevant ministries and agencies and effective decision-making at all levels. Transparent, robust and comprehensive data and information on greenhouse gas emissions and climate actions are essential for informing national policies, plans and strategies and helping countries meet their international commitments on climate change. The same applies to forest data and information and its reporting to multilateral environmental agreements. Additionally, robust institutional arrangements, including for national forest inventories (NFI) as part of national forest monitoring systems and GHG management systems, form the basis for ensuring transparent data and information from these processes and systems and for meeting the requirements for reporting under the ETF.

The aim of this review analysis is to highlight the importance of transparency in monitoring and reporting and for building trust in climate actions. The analysis will provide an overview of the requirements and necessary elements for monitoring and reporting on the forest and land use sector in the ETF and the challenges faced. This background will serve as a basis for stimulating discussions and exploring potential collaborative solutions offered by strong institutional arrangements and collaborative networks (such as NFI networks) and to facilitate identification of effective capacity-building needs of developing countries.

1. Monitoring and reporting of transparent forest data and information under the Paris Agreement and the potential role of NFI networks Jenny Wong Transparency Division UN Climate Change Secretariat Bonn, Germany

2. The European Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed that 2023 was the hottest year  on record by a large margin and was probably the warmest in the past 100,000 years. Even the best and most protected forest areas in the world are threatened by the global climate crisis. In 2023, all-time highs were reached for atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, along with global average sea-surface temperatures, while Antarctic sea ice levels set new lows A 2021 NOAA study concluded that climate change has been the main driver of the increase in fire weather  in the western United States. … Wildfires are becoming larger and more severe as a result of climate change. Alarming Headlines – what the science is saying

3. T he science is clear . We need to reduce emissions by 43% within the next six years, by 60% by 2035, and get to net zero by 2050. ( Petersberg Dialogue 2024 ) Progress is possible, but needs to happen everywhere. D ata from 2023 demonstrates that countries can cut rates of tropical forest loss if they garner the political will to do so, and the countries that have accomplished this can provide lessons for others. ( WRI ) . Countries’ nationally determined contributions due early 2025 and 2030 targets will collectively determine whether the world can get back on a global emissions trajectory in line with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C this century, as required by science under the Paris Agreement ( UNFCCC ) Healthy forests are powerful carbon sinks. Forests provide a crucial capacity to remove greenhouse gases (GHG) from the atmosphere and help us avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis…up to 30%. (IPCC/UNDP) What is needed?

4. Scope (the story behind the headlines) Transparency and the Paris Agreement - The Enhanced Transparency Framework - Transparent data and information in the reporting and review process Importance/relevance of collaboration and networking - e.g. NFI networks Your role as NFI experts within the Paris Agreement and its Enhanced Transparency Framework

5. Transparency and the Paris Agreement

6. Transparency and collective action form the core of the Paris Agreement. An Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) established to build trust and confidence and lay the foundation for ambitious climate actions and promote effective implementation of such actions. Article 13 The Enhanced Transparency Framework

7. Transparency refers to the reporting and review of relevant climate information and data. Reporting and review arrangements under the UNFCCC encompass making available data on GHG emissions, tracking of progress towards climate targets, data and information on policies and measures, climate change impacts and adaptation, levels of support and capacity-building needs. Transparency enables a global conversation about where we are making progress and how actions are generating impacts . What is Transparency in Climate Actions? And Why?

8. Internationally Benefits of Transparency Nationally Access to support improved Awareness raised – all stakeholders Building of Capacity Policy planning informed Political acceptance Trust built Support prioritized Ambition enhancement supported International obligations met

9. The first Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), due at the end of 2024 , mark a significant milestone in reporting and review under the Paris Agreement.  These reports will track progress toward the goals of the Paris Agreement , helping to assess whether individual and collective efforts are generating the required results and encourage further action. Transparency plays a key role in tracking progress of mitigation actions , clarifying if and how countries meet their set climate targets, and reinforcing the credibility of cooperative mechanisms by providing clear, detailed information in the BTRs. Biennial Transparency Reports

10. Forests’ role in mitigation of climate change recognized in: Article 4, paragraph 1(d) of the UNFCCC; Article 5 of the Paris Agreement; Articles 3.3 and 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol Countries report data and information on forests, in terms of emissions and removals, in their: REDD+ forest reference emission level/forest reference level submissions; REDD+ results submissions, in the context of results-based payments; National Greenhouse Gas Inventory submissions to the Convention and to the Paris Agreement Role of forests under the Paris Agreement

11. The Climate Sessions (Dubai, 2023) recognized and emphasized: The importance of conserving, protecting and restoring nature and ecosystems towards achieving the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement; Enhanced efforts towards halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030; Conservation of biodiversity in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; Need for enhanced support and investments; and incentivizing non-carbon benefits. Role of forests under the Paris Agreement

12. Importance of Collaboration and Cooperation – Role of Networks

13. Importance of collaboration and cooperation What the Paris Agreement and its decisions say On adoption of the Paris Agreement (2015), countries agreed to “ uphold and promote regional and international cooperation in order to mobilize stronger and more ambitious climate actions by all countries…” The Agreement: - Recognizes the importance of the engagement of all levels of government and various actors in addressing climate change - Welcomes the efforts of all non-Party stakeholders (or non-State actors) to address and respond to climate change; - Invites these stakeholders to scale up efforts and support actions to reduce emissions and build resilience to adverse effects of climate change.

14. Potential role of NFI networks With this backdrop on transparency of climate actions — Your role and contribution in the process NFIs are time and labour consuming and costly exercises; Many developing countries still lack adequate data and information for reporting on the more complex carbon pools (e.g. soil, deadwood, litter). Relying on IPCC Tier 1 default factors (e.g. emission factors) for estimating carbon stocks and emissions; NFIs provide important sources of data and information for estimating forest carbon stocks and emissions from associated carbon pools;

15. Potential role of NFI networks Strength of Regional Networks Allows pooling and sharing of expertise and technical capacities, forest data and information - could address technical and capacity challenges faced by developing countries; Could contribute to developing more accurate emission factors, parameters appropriate for the region in question, while countries continue to work on developing country-specific factors and estimation parameters; Possesses greater technical capacity and capability to address challenges or take advantage of opportunities for innovation to find solutions to the rapid changes in the forest sector; Greater outreach power to a wider range of stakeholders in terms of access to data and information.

16. Potential role of NFI networks – key messages NFI networks have an essential role to play in helping countries implement their climate targets under the Paris Agreement NFI networks’ contribution in technical expertise and experience, transparent data and information on forests can facilitate countries’ reporting under the Paris Agreement this facilitates countries’ meeting the review principles of transparency, accuracy, consistency and comparability, as well as improve over time, in their reporting. NFIs as part of national forest monitoring systems and GHG management systems are part of robust institutional arrangements – necessary for ensuring transparent data and information in meeting the requirements for reporting under the ETF Exploring and developing potential collaborative solutions offered by NFI networks including filling data gaps and identification of effective capacity-building needs of developing countries for transparent monitoring and reporting.

17. Your Role and Expertise for the Paris Agreement

18. How to Become a Technical Expert Reviewer? Why become an Expert Reviewer? Learn new skills to advance your career Gain experience in your area of expertise Increase your network and meet new colleagues from around the world Learn what other countries do to fight climate change Bring lessons learned home to your country Help ensure transparent national reporting

19. Technical Experts Needed How to become a UNFCCC Reviewer? Step 1. Register yourself on the Roster of Experts . (Scan QR code) This will alert your National Focal Point or the relevant intergovernmental organization to approve your self-nomination List of national focal points: National Focal Point List of focal points of accredited international organizations: Admitted IGOs | UNFCCC Step 2 . Complete relevant training programme , including passing the necessary exam(s) Training programmes for expert reviewers | UNFCCC Step 3. Participate on an expert team

20. Join our LinkedIn Community Explore upcoming Transparency Events Learn more on our Official Website Let’s work #Together4Transparency ! bit.ly/T4TCalendar bit.ly/T4TGroup bit.ly/UNTransparency Thank you!

21. THANK YOU Jenny Wong Transparency Division Climate Change Secretariat Emails: [email protected] [email protected] Website: Home / REDD+ (unfccc.int)