25 August 2016: During the month of August, the UNFCCC Secretariat released a compilation of developed country Parties' greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based on their latest inventory submissions for 2014, as well as the final compliance reports for the first commitment period (CP1), 2008-2012, of the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, a number of updates on national reporting from Parties on their climate change action, including status reports on GHG inventories and the reports of the technical review of second Biennial Report (BR2) submissions, were published.

A transparency and compliance regime is vital for building international trust and confidence that action to address climate change is taking place, as well as for assessing how to facilitate further action.

The transparency framework developed under the UNFCCC is intended to increase the international understanding of mitigation, adaptation and other actions toward fulfilling commitments outlined in the Convention and related decisions or agreements. The transparency framework takes the form of national reporting through National Communications (NCs) from all Parties, as well as Biennial Update Reports (BURs) from non-Annex I (developing country) Parties, and BRs and annual GHG inventory submissions from Annex I (developed country) Parties.

It should be noted that the Paris Agreement, in contrast to differentiating the reporting and review requirements based on the Convention's Annexes, establishes a common transparency framework for all countries, with a process to provide enhanced data and tracking against their commitments on mitigation, adaptation and support. Once the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement is in force, it will apply to all Parties to the Agreement, although it does allow more flexibility to take into account Parties' different capacities.

Nineteen GHG Inventory Status Reports Released

Within three weeks of receiving a Party's GHG inventory, the UNFCCC Secretariat prepares a draft status report as part of an initial assessment that aims to ensure each Annex I Party submits a consistent, complete and timely annual inventory in the correct format. The initial assessment is published on the UNFCCC website as a 'status report.'

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