Brazzaville, Republic of Congo – The African Development Bank, in collaboration with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United States Forest Service (USFS), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), recently convened a regional training workshop to bolster climate transparency efforts in Central Africa.
The workshop, held from August 26-30 in Brazzaville, aimed to equip participants from 11 Central African countries with the skills needed to prepare Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). These reports are essential for implementing the Paris Agreement’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and fulfilling the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
In her virtual address, Arlette Soudan-Nonault, Republic of Congo’s Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, and the Congo Basin, emphasized the urgency of climate action. She highlighted the growing gap between global climate goals and the reality of rising emissions, underscoring the need for immediate emissions reductions.
Mukhtar Babayev, President-designate of UNFCCC COP 29 and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of transparency in climate action. He urged countries to accelerate their efforts to submit BTRs on time.
Ambassador Bandoukiu Hambuli, representing the ECCAS Commission, underscored the significance of the workshop in building regional capacity for climate change interventions. He expressed hope that this collaboration would pave the way for future cooperation.
Davinah Milenge Uwella, Principal Coordinator in the Climate Change and Green Growth Department of the African Development Bank, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting climate transparency efforts. She highlighted the Bank’s 2024-2033 Strategy, which places climate action at its core and aims to mobilize $25 billion in climate finance by 2025.
Tibor Lindovsky, Programme Officer of the Consultative Group of Experts / ETF Support Unit at UNFCCC, expressed the institution’s support for countries in preparing their BTRs. He emphasized the importance of taking action, even if it’s not perfect.
The regional training workshop in Brazzaville is part of a broader initiative to train a total of 106 experts. As the countdown to COP29 continues, the commitments and actions initiated during this workshop will play a crucial role in shaping Central Africa’s contributions to global climate goals.
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