CBIT phase 2: Building transparent data system for climate governance

The project "Enhancing Data Management and Reporting Capacity in Line with the Requirements of the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework" (CBIT), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has a total budget of nearly US$2 million. The project was launched in April 2022 and is expected to conclude at the end of October 2026.

To date, many core technical products have been largely completed, laying the foundation for the national greenhouse gas inventory system and the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) framework for emission reductions. The project aims to strengthen national capacity in greenhouse gas inventories and emission reduction MRV systems, ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quang, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Climate Change and National Project Director of the CBIT Project, after four years of implementation, the project has completed several important outputs, including research and proposals to add statistical indicators serving greenhouse gas inventories to the National Statistical Indicator System; detailed technical guidelines on greenhouse gas inventories and greenhouse gas emission reduction MRV for buildings; and training materials, training programmes, and technical guidance to strengthen capacity in greenhouse gas inventories and verification of emission reduction results.

In addition, the project has developed draft tools and reporting templates to support greenhouse gas inventories for major emission sources, and is developing a tool to monitor the progress in implementing NDC targets for relevant ministries and sectors.

The project has also completed guidance materials on integrating gender considerations into greenhouse gas emission monitoring, reporting, and verification processes to promote gender responsiveness in emission reduction MRV. It has developed guidance and standardized templates for tracking climate finance resources, piloted in the agriculture sector, as well as a handbook for monitoring public investment in climate change adaptation and mitigation with gender integration.

The greenhouse gas inventory, MRV, and climate-related public investment monitoring toolkits are important resources contributing to climate change management efforts by ministries, sectors, and relevant agencies. Other key outputs aimed at strengthening greenhouse gas inventory capacity and digitizing NDC implementation tracking will continue to be implemented during the remaining period of the project.

According to Deputy Director Nguyen Tuan Quang, the development of the project’s second phase will closely align with state management needs for greenhouse gas inventories and monitoring the implementation of Viet Nam’s NDC commitments.

Recognizing the project’s achievements, Ms. Francesca Nardini, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Viet Nam, said that the project’s outputs not only meet high technical and professional standards but also closely align with Viet Nam’s institutional context and priority objectives. However, she noted that the long-term effectiveness of these outcomes will depend on domestic agencies' ability to adopt, operate, and continuously improve these tools.

According to Ms. Nardini, a transparent data system will enable policymakers and regulators to make science-based decisions, strengthen coordination among ministries and sectors, optimize resources, and enhance international partners’ confidence in Viet Nam’s climate commitments.

"UNDP is committed to continuing close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and relevant ministries and sectors during the final stage of the project, ensuring its successful completion and maximizing the value of the achievements delivered," Ms. Francesca Nardini emphasized.

At the meeting, members of the Steering Committee recognized the high applicability of technical toolkits, including the MRV system, greenhouse gas inventory system, and transparency reporting guidelines. However, delegates also frankly pointed out the significant pressure to meet the tight timeline in the final three months, which requires close coordination among relevant agencies and stronger training for businesses and localities to improve the quality of data provision and reporting.

Based on the results of Phase 1, the project management board and UNDP proposed developing CBIT Phase 2 with a focus on shifting from strengthening basic MRV capacity towards establishing a comprehensive national transparency system aligned with the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF). In the coming period, UNDP will coordinate with ministries, sectors, and relevant agencies to identify priorities for the development of the CBIT Phase 2 project.