Proposed indicators for domestic MRV purposes and tracking progress of NDCs

The overall objective of this report, “Proposed indicators for domestic MRV purposes and tracking progress of NDCs”, is to provide countries with relevant examples of indicators, which may be used in pursuing domestic monitoring tasks as well as in reporting on progress towards implementation and achievement on Parties’ NDCs. Such indicators may be particularly helpful to developing countries as a reference to further develop and increase national indicators they will intend to use in pursuing domestic monitoring tasks, as well as in reporting on progress towards implementation and achievement on NDCs in the framework of the Paris Agreement. As explained in the report, one set of indicators can serve the dual purpose of domestic and UNFCCC reporting, while observing that the two activities are highly complementary. To this purpose, this document first provides an overview of the current reporting provisions relevant for monitoring progress and using indicators, for both Annex I and non-Annex I Parties (Chapter 1). This section is crucial to understand the requirements for reporting under the UNFCCC, as they contribute to defining the minimum effort that countries are requested to undertake in monitoring their existing actions. Moreover, such overview offers the basis to defining the different starting points in the process of aligning to the new corresponding provisions set by the Paris Agreement and relevant subsequent decisions, which are briefly introduced and discussed (Chapter 2), as they will become applicable by the end of 2024 at the latest. Subsequently, a short description of different existing NDC types is presented, along with some considerations emerging from main Parties and negotiating groups’ UNFCCC submissions on the “structured summary” to track progress of implementation and achievement of NDCs and the use of indicators. This information is introduced to provide readers with an understanding of how reporting requirements under the Paris Agreement will require a greater effort and level of detail from countries in terms of monitoring and reporting progress towards their goals. The challenges introduced by different types of NDC are also discussed, in conjunction with the available types of indicators and the requirements they will have to meet. Building on the previous considerations, a non-exclusive nor exhaustive list of indicators for both mitigation and adaptation is finally suggested (Chapter 3) based on the authors’ experience and expertise, along with relevant descriptions and remarks. Such indicators may be used by countries to track progress towards their NDC, as relevant, and also to improve domestic monitoring of climate change actions, including policies and measures, regardless of information they may wish to submit within the UNFCCC process.