Transparency is more than just a buzzword in the fight against climate change around the world. It is what builds trust, credibility, and ambition. Climate pledges and promises are meaningless if there is no follow-through. With a transparency framework, countries can keep track of their progress, improve their policies, and work together more effectively. That is why the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), one of the central pillars of the Paris Agreement, is very important, especially for more vulnerable areas, like the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
But what is the ETF? And how could the HKH countries benefit from it?
Article 13 of the Paris Agreement established the ETF and builds on earlier efforts to make things more transparent and clearer, like the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) [1] arrangements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where countries systematically track, report, and having their climate actions assessed to ensure progress towards their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The ETF is ‘enhanced’ because it has a single set of rules and expectations for all countries, no matter how developed they are. It also has built-in flexibility for countries that need it in light of their capacities, with special consideration to least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).
Starting from December 2024, countries are required to submit their progress report on climate action and support [formally referred to as Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs)] as part of the ETF. These reports contain:
- National greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories showing emissions from different sources and removals by sinks
- Information about how each country is faring with the implementation of its NDCs, which are the country’s climate promises under the Paris Agreement
- Information on how countries are susceptible to impacts of climate change and adaptation actions being implemented or planned to be implemented to protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems, and make them more resilient
- Information on support mobilised and provided by developed countries and support needed and received by developing countries, especially in the areas of climate finance, capacity-building, and technology development and transfer
These reports are reviewed by technical experts. They also go through a multilateral process where countries can talk about each other's progress in a constructive way. This approach ensures that climate action is not only happening, but that it is also being shared and understood in a way that everyone can see, learn, and compare.
In short, the ETF asks each country:
- What is the historical and future trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions from different streams of the country's economy?
- Where do cost-effective opportunities exist to reduce emissions in a manner to contributes to sustainable development and the collective goal of 1.5 degrees?
- What and where opportunities exist to climate-proof social, environmental, and economic activities?
- What policies and measures need to be put in place to harvest those opportunities, and how do these policies and measures impact the future emissions and increase resiliency?
- What are the success stories, and how can one learn from the other?
Why is the ETF vital for the HKH Region?
The HKH is warming at twice the global average. It is home to more than 240 million people and is a vital source of water, biodiversity, and climate regulation, and provides vital ecosystem services to nearly 2 billion people downstream. Glaciers are melting, monsoon patterns are changing, and communities are having more floods, droughts, and landslides. But a lot of countries in the HKH region have trouble keeping track of and reporting on climate action because they do not have enough technical skills, their institutions are too spread out, and they do not have all the data they need.
Hence, ETF is not only vital but also necessary for the HKH:
- It helps in data/evidence-based decision-making
The ETF helps countries set up ways to gather and study climate data, such as tracking emissions and figuring out how to adapt. This is important for making good policies and responses in mountain areas like the HKH, where data is often hard to find or scattered. - It enhances access to climate finance
For developing countries, the ETF entails making an assessment of the inflow of climate finance and additional needs in a comprehensive manner. Such assessment, along with clear and transparent information on underlying policies and measures needed to achieve the NDCs, can serve as a credible basis for mobilising international support. - It helps you see how well you can adapt and bounce back
Most countries of the HKH put adaptation first, but they do not have clear ways to measure and report on progress. The ETF gives a way to keep track of how countries are dealing with climate change and what works and what does not. - It encourages cooperation
The ETF gives HKH countries a common reporting language that makes it easier for them to work together, share what they have learnt, and speak out together. This is especially important in a region that is facing serious impacts of climate change. - It elevates mountain voices globally
Transparent reporting helps HKH countries tell their climate stories better to the international audience, including at global settings like the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Global Stocktake. This makes sure that mountain issues are seen, heard, and dealt with.
Not just a technical burden – a strategic opportunity
The ETF is more than just turning in information and reports, and meeting deadlines. It is about putting together the systems, skills, and partnerships that make climate action work. It's a chance for countries to look at where they are, identify gaps, mobilise resources, and build momentum for climate responses that are ambitious, smarter, and more inclusive.
Given extreme vulnerability to climate change, and to build momentum and trust on climate action, ICIMOD is working with the UNFCCC secretariat to help countries make the most of the ETF by building capacity, creating a regional knowledge hub, and promoting peer learning and knowledge sharing. It is also about helping countries become climate champions, embracing science, working together for ambitious climate actions in the light of the harsh realities of life in the mountains.