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Strengthening Climate Transparency Across Africa: Turning Greenhouse Gas Data into Better Climate Action
Across Africa, governments are making ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen climate resilience and transition towards low-carbon development. Yet one critical challenge continues to limit progress: many countries still lack the robust systems needed to accurately measure, report and verify their greenhouse gas emissions.
Without reliable climate data, it becomes difficult to understand where emissions originate, monitor progress towards climate targets or demonstrate accountability under the Paris Agreement. Fragmented institutional arrangements, inconsistent data collection methods and limited technical capacity have often resulted in gaps in national greenhouse gas inventories, affecting countries' ability to develop evidence-based climate policies and access climate finance.
Recognising this challenge, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), in partnership with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and other stakeholders, has been implementing the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT). The programme has strengthened national and regional capacity to establish effective Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems, enabling countries to produce transparent, credible and internationally compliant greenhouse gas inventories under the Paris Agreement's Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
Turning Complex Climate Reporting into Practical Solutions
Greenhouse gas reporting is a highly technical process. It requires countries to collect activity data from multiple sectors-including energy, transport, agriculture, forestry, industrial processes and waste-and convert that information into estimates of greenhouse gas emissions using internationally recognised methodologies developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Through CBIT, RCMRD has simplifyed this process by equipping government institutions and technical experts with the knowledge, tools and systems needed to generate accurate and consistent climate data.
The programme has provided hands-on training on IPCC software, greenhouse gas inventory compilation and Tier 1–3 reporting methodologies, while strengthening institutional coordination and promoting standardised data collection across participating countries. Participants have also gained access to a digital learning platform that supports continuous professional development beyond the duration of the project.
By strengthening technical capacity and institutional coordination, countries are able to move from fragmented reporting processes to integrated national transparency systems that support informed climate decision-making.
Building National Systems that Last
RCMRD's contribution extends beyond technical training. The Centre has supported governments to establish long-term institutional frameworks that ensure climate reporting becomes an integral part of national governance rather than a project-driven activity.
‘Climate reporting with the most reliable data requires a functional MRV database with data contributed from all sub-sectors of the major sectors: Energy, AFOLU, Waste, and IPPU. Therefore, we report for posterity, not just as an obligation’’- Leonard Sweta-Principal Remote Sensing Analyst [PRSA], CBIT Project Manager
To date, national transparency frameworks have been strengthened in Comoros, Eritrea, Seychelles and Zambia, with sectoral focal points appointed across the five IPCC reporting sectors. Climate Change Steering Committees have also been established to coordinate MRV activities, while Memoranda of Understanding between government institutions are improving collaboration and enabling systematic climate data sharing. At the regional level, COMESA has established a framework to promote harmonised transparency approaches and facilitate knowledge exchange among member states.
One notable example is Zambia, where country-specific MRV indicators have been developed for selected sectors and an online MRV portal is being piloted to strengthen monitoring of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Delivering Measurable Impact
Through CBIT, the capacity of various designated reporting sectors was greatly improved, and their contribution to climate obligations was recognized. A regional data hub was established for project countries to enhance cross-border cooperation and facilitate the sharing of peer skills across sectors. Additionally, CBIT created a dedicated e-learning platform for continuous knowledge sharing and a learning hub for new staff recruited into climate reporting sectors. Regional cooperation also enabled participating countries to share challenges and best practices, leading to a clearer understanding of the best mitigation approaches.
Supporting Sustainable Development
Reliable climate data is more than a reporting requirement-it is a foundation for sustainable development. Accurate greenhouse gas inventories help governments identify priority sectors for emissions reduction, evaluate the effectiveness of climate interventions and make evidence-based investment decisions. They also strengthen countries' ability to access international climate finance by demonstrating transparency and accountability.
Ultimately, stronger MRV systems enable countries to design more effective climate policies, track progress towards their Nationally Determined Contributions and contribute credible evidence to global climate negotiations.
As climate risks continue to intensify across Africa, the need for reliable, transparent and accessible climate data has never been greater.
Through the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency, RCMRD is helping countries transform complex greenhouse gas reporting into practical decision-support systems—strengthening institutions, building technical expertise and ensuring that climate action is guided by credible evidence.
Because when countries can measure their emissions with confidence, they are better equipped to reduce them, attract climate finance and build a more resilient
