The Regional Pacific NDC Hub held a two-day virtual training on measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) from 03 – 04 February 2021.
Delivered by the Hub’s implementing partner, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the training was designed as a response to RMI’s request for such a training aimed at in-country national agencies which are involved in implementing and reporting on the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Over the two-day training, several aspects of sector-based MRV of GHG emissions were discussed. Measuring, reporting and verification is embedded under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement and MRV of GHGs refers to estimating, reporting and verifying actual carbon emissions equivalent over a defined period of time.
RMI’s GHG reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) covers the electricity generation, domestic transport (sea and land transport), cooking, lighting and waste sectors.
Participants were trained on collecting, reporting and retention of GHG emissions data which would support national reporting in the respective sectors. They also discussed using tailored emission management systems, methodologies and relevant tools which also relates directly to GHG emissions data consolidation and ensures transparency in the process.
Another critical aspect highlighted during the training was the importance of maintaining institutional and governance settings in RMI to ensure consolidated collaboration across different national agencies responsible for the different priority sectors.
The training could also potentially assist RMI in benefitting from enhancing ambition in its mitigation and adaptation as well as boosting RMI’s readiness in participating in future mechanisms and instruments.
Opening the virtual workshop, NDC Hub’s RMI alternate focal point, Mr. Benjamin Wakefield, Deputy Director of the National Energy Office at the RMI Ministry of Environment highlighted the importance of this workshop for RMI’s national agencies working in the NDC arena.
“We are very happy to receive this timely training designed specifically for RMI to address measurement, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions”, said Mr. Wakefield.
“We are thankful to the Regional Pacific NDC Hub and the Global Green Growth Institute for building on the training hosted in October 2020. Its customization to suit RMI’s needs is a very important first step towards building the capacity of RMI to reach our NDC goals”.
The training is in line with the NDC Hub’s work in RMI which is centred on developing an MRV system for the waste, land transport and electricity sector in the country.
The NDC Hub Project Manager, Mr. Christian Görg envisions that once the development of the MRV system for the priority sectors is completed, national agencies and local, sector experts would be better prepared to utilize (and maintain) the national MRV system for its reporting needs.
“Employing such an approach to building up and enhancing in-country capacities will ensure sustainability and knowledge retention in-country and create an enabling environment for communicating accurately on RMI’s national priorities for longer-term sustainable development objectives”, said Mr. Görg.
“We’re grateful to our implementation partner, GGGI which has developed and facilitated this training virtually given the current times, as well as our donor partners, Germany, Australia and New Zealand whose continued support enables us to deliver critical requests as such”.
