Strengthening The Capacity of Institutions In Uganda To Comply With The Transparency Requirements of The Paris Agreement – CBIT Phase II

Uganda, as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 24.7% by 2030 and contributing to the global targets. To achieve this, Uganda is required to set up infrastructure that will provide accurate information to track progress towards its commitment to reduce global emissions for Enhanced Transparency Reporting under Article 13 of the Agreement.

Since the completion of the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Phase I project in 2020, Uganda’s key emission sectors have made significant progress in developing their sectoral GHG inventories. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), CBIT Phase I laid the foundation for the formalization of GHG data and information-sharing processes across the key emission sectors. An inter-ministerial Cooperation Agreement covering 10 government institutions and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) covering 6 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) sectors were signed to promote data sharing. Data-sharing guidelines and data collection tools/ protocols were also developed. The GHG training received by national stakeholders has enhanced their career development opportunities and improved the institutions' ability to meet their reporting requirements. The Government of Uganda and stakeholders extend our sincere gratitude to the GEF for their trust and continued support, enabling Uganda to maintain project implementation during the COVID-19 lockdown. This support provided us with a valuable opportunity to demonstrate our resilience and adaptive capacity in the face of unprecedented challenges.

While While the first phase had successes, Uganda faces challenges in improving its reporting under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the Paris Agreement. The ETF enhances Measuring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) processes with flexibility for different capacities. Uganda’s main barriers include weak coordination, inadequate institutional arrangements, limited capacity to collect and manage GHG data, and difficulties accessing data and tools..

On November 1, The Ministry of Water and Environment launched the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency phase II (CBIT II) project at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala. The project aims at Strengthening the technical and institutional capacity of Uganda to respond to the ETF requirements of the Paris Agreement. The GEF has provided a $1.5 million grant through Conservation International to support the implementation of the CBIT II project and support reporting under the ETF.  The project is implemented by the Ministry of Water and Environment through the Climate Change Department (CCD), in partnership with the Africa Innovations Institute (AfrII). The launch was attended by government officials from different ministries, representatives from non-governmental organizations, the CBIT-Global Support Program (GSP), civil society organizations, research institutions, private sectors and academia.

The Commissioner Climate Change Department, Ms. Margaret Mwebesa, was well represented by her assistant, Mr. Francis Opolot, who assured stakeholders of their steadfast commitment to the implementation of the CBIT Phase II project. He expressed gratitude to the GEF for their support in the execution of the ETF. Mr. Opolot highlighted the significance of Uganda's CBIT Phase II work, building on the achievements of Phase I, which established data-sharing agreements and cooperation frameworks. Despite successes, the importance of CBIT II lies in in addressing the issues that persisted in Phase I. This phase will focus on enhancing data transparency, reliability, and effective reporting of Uganda’s climate efforts

Dr. Alfred Okot Okidi expressed his gratitude for the support from the Global Environment Facility and its partners, which has significantly advanced Uganda’s greenhouse gas data management through the successful implementation of CBIT Phase I.  He highlighted that as we move into Phase II, we should aim to strengthen our transparency framework, ensuring credible and accountable climate actions. Dr. Alfred stated that “this project will promote inclusive development, with a focus on gender equality, and requires active participation from all stakeholders to address data management challenges and ensure accurate reporting. We. encouraged the stakeholders to work together to build a transparent, resilient system that serves as a model for other nations in the region”.

The CBIT II project aims to achieve the following key outcomes:

• Outcome 1.1: Strengthened state and non-state institutions to coordinate and manage the sectoral and national GHG Inventory system.
• Outcome 1.2: Strengthened collaboration and coordination between CCD and other sectors.
• Outcome 2.1: Strengthened technical capacity of stakeholders to collect, process, and analyse activity data and feed GHG sectoral data into the national GHGI.
• Outcome 3.1: Strengthened coordination, learning and sharing between the CBIT II Uganda project and ongoing transparency initiatives.
• Outcome 4.1: A gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation framework for the project.

The CBIT II project represents a crucial step for Uganda to meet its climate transparency obligations under the Paris Agreement. As the country transitions from Tier I to Tier II of ETF reporting, the need to strengthen the nation’s institutional capacity, enhancing data management systems, and ensuring accurate emissions reporting is great. The outcomes of this project will have lasting benefits, not just for Uganda, but for the wider global community in the collective fight against climate change. By continuing to build resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges, Uganda is proving that with the right support, even the most ambitious climate goals are within reach.

Written by: Africa Innovations Institute
Edited by: CI-GEF