Synthesis report for the technical assessment component of the first global stocktake: Synthesis report on finance flows-C-CAPACITY BUILDING

  1. Capacity-building
  • In line with Article 11 of the Paris Agreement and in response to a request by the CMA contained in decision 19/CMA.1, paragraph 36 (d), this section provides compiled and synthesized information on progress made on enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties to implement the Paris Agreement, international cooperation and enhanced support from developed country Parties in this regard, and persisting capacity gaps and needs, as reported by developing country Parties. Progress made on enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties is presented in line with the elements highlighted in Article 11, paragraph 1 of the Paris Agreement, namely mitigation and adaptation; technology development, dissemination and deployment; access to finance; education, training and public awareness; and the transparent, timely and accurate communication of information.
  • For all aspects of this section, capacity-building at the systemic, institutional and individual levels has been considered, with systemic capacity focusing on the overall framework within which institutions and individuals operate and interact, including policies, rules and regulations; institutional capacity focusing on the capabilities and performance of institutions and their ability to adapt to change and to cooperate with one another; and

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individual capacity focusing on knowledge and skills development, including for effective participation, knowledge exchange, and behavioural change as shown in figure 31 below.65

Figure 31

Capacity-building at the systemic, institutional and individual levels

Diagram  Description automatically generated

Source: UNFCCC website on capacity-building in the UNFCCC process.66

  • Owing to the structure and format in which information on capacity-building activities and capacity gaps and needs has been reported by Parties, it was not possible to present distinct overviews for each of the three levels of capacity-building.
  1. Progress made on enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties
  2. While progress has been made on enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties at the systemic, institutional and individual levels, developing countries continue to face capacity gaps and needs for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. At the systemic level, developing country Parties have been making significant efforts to develop and implement national climate change laws, regulations, policies and strategies to ensure a more systematic integration of climate action at the national and sectoral levels. At the institutional level, capacities have been enhanced to address various aspects of climate change, including national and sector-specific mitigation and adaptation actions, for example in the areas of agriculture, energy, forestry and health. Capacities have also been enhanced to provide access to support for climate action, for example through the establishment of an NDA for the GCF or an NDE for the CTCN, and for meeting reporting requirements under the Convention. At the institutional and individual levels, developing country Parties also reported on measures to build capacity at national, subnational and local levels, including those of government entities and civil society organizations. Measures also included strengthening technical skills and knowledge through training and the exchange of experiences, mostly in the context of broader capacity-building programmes and activities for both climate change mitigation and adaptation.
  • Mitigation and adaptation
  • Many developing country Parties reported on enhanced capacity for mitigation actions, including in the:
    • Agriculture sector through training on use of low-emission technologies and practices;

65      See also the UNFCCC website on capacity-building at: https://unfccc.int/topics/capacity- building/the-big-picture/capacity-in-the-unfccc-process.

66      As footnote 66 above.

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  • Energy sector through training on energy efficiency and energy audits in buildings, and renewable energy technologies, including geothermal heat and solar thermal power;
    • Forestry sector through projects on carbon dioxide removals, forest and biodiversity management, auditor training, monitoring, inventory and carbon accounting, forest reference levels, forest certification schemes, and establishing and reporting on REDD+ programmes;
    • Industry sector through training of technicians in energy-efficient plant operations;
    • Waste sector through training on integrated waste management and on energy generation from agricultural and urban waste.
  • Many developing country Parties also reported on enhanced capacity for adaptation actions, including through:
    • Formulating adaptation targets, including in NDCs, and developing and implementing adaptation strategies and plans, including NAPs;
    • Establishing new, and improving existing, institutional arrangements;
    • Implementing community-based adaptation activities;
    • Engaging academia and civil society in the development and delivery of capacity-building programmes;
    • Providing training at the institutional and individual level for mainstreaming adaptation actions within and across institutions and sectors;
    • Implementing sector-specific measures, including in the:
  • Agriculture sector through risk management plans, rural resilience programmes, and training for agricultural enterprises, technicians, farmers and civil society;
  • Coastal zones through programmes on the protection of mangroves and sustainable management of coastal and marine areas and biodiversity;
  • Construction sector through training on preparedness for natural disasters and sea level rise;
  • Fisheries sector through the adoption of fishing site identification systems, types of insurance, income stabilization funds, sustainable aquacultures and rewards for environmental services;
  • Forestry sector through programmes on the prevention of fires and training on value chains of non-timber forest products;
  • Health sector through health adaptation plans, training for health personnel for crisis and disaster management, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and early warning systems;
  • Urban areas through the development and implementation of policies and training for integrating adaptation into development planning;
    • Water sector through training in the areas of water conservation and efficiency and participatory irrigation projects.
  • Technology development, dissemination and deployment
  • Many Parties highlighted the ways in which capacities related to technology development, dissemination and deployment have improved, including through:
    • Adoption of green technology policies that increased the capacity of innovative technology;
    • Development and implementation of TNAs and TAPs;

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  • Research on renewable energy and adaptation technologies;
    • Fostering of increased mobility of researchers between government, academia and the private sector;
    • Training on energy audits and management;
    • Establishment of innovation hubs for clean technology entrepreneurs and green economy experts.
  • Access to finance
  • Some developing country Parties reported that they increased their capacity to access climate finance through the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.
  • Education, training and public awareness
  • Many developing country Parties reported on progress made in climate change education, training and public awareness. An increasing number of developing countries have integrated climate change into formal education curricula and launched new undergraduate and graduate degree programmes on climate change related matters. In some developing countries, school teachers were trained on how better to deliver the new or revised curricula, by focusing on how to make complex climate change concepts and terminology more understandable and relevant to their students. Specialized training programmes and workshops tailored to local conditions, coupled with a stronger engagement of stakeholders, were reported to have contributed to empowering local communities to enhance their climate resilience. Many developing country Parties reported notable progress in raising public awareness on climate change issues. Some developing country Parties made progress in awareness-raising within government entities in various areas and at various levels. Interministerial coordination and stakeholder engagement for the preparation of various national reports also contributed to raising awareness on climate change and the need for urgent adaptation and mitigation actions.
  • Transparent, timely and accurate communication of information
  • Some developing country Parties highlighted that the preparation of NCs, BURs and GHG inventories had led to capacity-building benefits with regard to transferable skills for policy development, planning and other data-gathering and reporting contexts. Reported activities included training for experts on the preparation of GHG inventories, inventory improvement plans, centralized data collection and compilation mechanisms, measures to involve private sector data providers and other stakeholders, including through activities to build the capacity of institutions and industries that contribute to emissions to provide data for inventories and to guarantee the quality of those data.
  • In the area of research and systematic observation, some developing country Parties reported enhanced capacity through the establishment of policy and research frameworks, institutions, systems and networks that:
    • Improve instruments for data collection, local observation networks and information management systems;
    • Develop regional climate models and scenarios that can enhance technical capacity and provide opportunities to connect with the international scientific community;
    • Train technical experts on scientific instrumentation, data analysis and quality control, and atmospheric chemistry;
    • Support integrated MRV of GHG emissions;
    • Offer financial support for research and development.

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  • Enhancing support from developed country Parties and international cooperation for capacity-building in developing country Parties
  • Enhanced support provided by developed country Parties
  • Developed country Parties provided enhanced support for capacity-building actions in developing country Parties in line with Article 11, paragraph 3, of the Paris Agreement. The 686 capacity-building activities reported in the fourth BRs (2018–2019) represent an increase of more than 77 per cent compared with the previous reporting period (2016–2017). Most projects had been completed at the time of reporting but Parties reported their capacity- building support with varying levels of detail, with some Parties including only a few examples of capacity-building focused projects, while others included all projects that had a capacity-building component.
  • Distribution of capacity-building support across thematic areas
  • More support was provided for capacity-building activities on adaptation (40 per cent) than on mitigation (28 per cent). Figure 32 below illustrates the distribution of capacity- building activities across thematic areas as reported in BRs.

Figure 32

Number and share of capacity-building projects by thematic area over time

Chart, timeline  Description automatically generated
  • Capacity-building support for adaptation included climate-proofing existing and new infrastructure, advancing the green transformation of agricultural and forestry practices, reducing the vulnerability of rural populations to climate risks through the introduction of insurance coverage, and fostering sustainable water resources management.
  • Capacity-building support for mitigation was primarily provided for activities aimed at strengthening measures to reduce emissions from land use, deforestation and forest degradation, and energy, as well as for carbon market readiness and GHG inventories.
  • Many Parties reported on capacity-building activities (28 per cent) that target multiple areas, including activities related to climate change policy, education, training and public awareness.

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  • Several Parties also reported on support for transparency initiatives, namely the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency,67 the NDC Partnership68 and the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency.69
  • Priority sectors for capacity-building support
  • Most projects were undertaken in the areas of energy (23 per cent), agriculture (16 per cent), water (16 per cent), forestry (11 per cent) and infrastructure (10 per cent). Most energy projects focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Figure 33 below provides a breakdown of capacity-building activities by sector as a percentage of the total number of reported activities.

Figure 33

Share of capacity-building activities by sector as reported in fourth biennial reports

Chart, sunburst chart  Description automatically generated
  • Geographical distribution of capacity-building activities
  • The Asia-Pacific (34 per cent) and African regions (28 per cent) benefited most from the capacity-building support reported in the BR4s, followed by multiregional or global activities (21 per cent), the Latin American and Caribbean region (12 per cent), and Eastern European region (5 per cent), as presented in figure 34 below.

67 Available at https://www.thegef.org/what-we-do/topics/capacity-building-initiative-transparency-cbit.

68 Available at https://ndcpartnership.org.

69 Available at https://climateactiontransparency.org.

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Figure 34

Chart, bar chart  Description automatically generated

Number of capacity-building activities by geographical region, as reported in fourth biennial reports

  • Implementation channels and modalities
  • Most capacity-building activities reported by Parties in their fourth BRs were implemented through bilateral cooperation. Some Parties also reported on support for capacity-building activities implemented through the GCF and the GEF, as well as through United Nations organizations and other multilateral organizations.
  • A variety of modalities have been used in the reported capacity-building activities, including training, workshops, seminars, and short- and long-term scholarship programmes.
  • Sharing of experiences and good practices among developing country Parties
  • In line with Article 11, paragraph 3, of the Paris Agreement, which stipulates that all Parties should cooperate to enhance the capacity of developing country Parties, some developing country Parties also reported that South–South cooperation had served as an effective voluntary instrument for enhancing capacity for climate action through sharing of experiences, good practices and lessons learned, including through regional and interregional exchange platforms and networks of developing countries. Examples of South–South cooperation on capacity-building were reported in the areas of adaptation and disaster risk management, GHG inventories, MRV and REDD+.
  • Some Parties also highlighted South–South, triangular or regional cooperation as support mechanisms for NDC implementation, including for specific aspects of financial assistance, capacity-building and technology development and transfer.
  • Capacity-building enhanced through institutional arrangements under the Convention
  • In line with Article 11, paragraph 5, of the Paris Agreement, institutional arrangements under the Convention that serve the Paris Agreement also contributed to building capacity of developing country Parties through the provision of technical assistance, development and dissemination of tools and handbooks, and organization of technical meetings, training, workshops and online courses. Constituted bodies that have undertaken capacity-building activities are listed below with examples of their work in this area.70

70    Detailed information on the capacity-building work of bodies established under the Convention is contained in documents FCCC/SBI/2021/2, FCCC/SBI/2020/2, FCCC/SBI/2019/2, FCCC/SBI/2018/3 and FCCC/SBI/2017/2.

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  • Paris Committee on Capacity-building
  • The PCCB enhanced coherence and coordination of capacity-building activities with a focus on avoiding duplication of efforts, including through collaboration with bodies under and outside the Convention. Further, it supported the identification of capacity gaps and needs, both current and emerging, and recommended ways to address them. It also promoted awareness-raising, knowledge- and information-sharing and stakeholder engagement with bodies and relevant actors under and outside the Convention. Detailed information on the work of the PCCB is contained in the synthesis report71 prepared as a separate input to the global stocktake technical assessment process.
  • Adaptation Committee
  • The Adaptation Committee provided technical support and guidance on NAPs to developing country Parties, in close collaboration with the LEG and with support from the Adaptation Committee Task Force on NAPs.72 Examples of the Adaptation Committee’s capacity-building related work include the facilitation of discussions on enhanced adaptation action and the development of knowledge products and tools for developing country Parties to increase their access to technical information across a broad spectrum of adaptation-related areas.
  • Consultative Group of Experts
  • The Consultative Group of Experts supported developing country Parties to enhance their capacity to prepare NCs and BURs through the provision of technical assistance and support, including through the provision of training materials and the organization of webinars and regional hands-on training workshops.
  • Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts
  • The WIM Executive Committee undertook a wide range of outreach and information- sharing activities to enhance awareness and understanding of loss and damage and promote a variety of approaches to avert, minimize and address the risk of loss and damage, including through the Fiji Clearing House for Risk Transfer73 and its interactive platform RISK TALK that bridges the demand of vulnerable countries and communities with the worldwide supply of knowledge on risk management and risk transfer.
  • Least Developed Countries Expert Group
  • The LEG provided technical guidance and support to the LDCs on aspects related to adaptation planning and implementation, including through regional training workshops on the formulation and implementation of NAPs and through regional NAP Expos, which provide an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders to exchange experiences and foster partnerships on NAP formulation and implementation.
  • Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform Facilitative Working Group
  • The Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform Facilitative Working Group is responsible for the implementation of the three functions of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform related to knowledge, capacity for engagement, and climate change policy and action. The Facilitative Working Group organized a range of dialogues and training webinars to build the capacity of constituted bodies seeking to engage local communities and indigenous peoples in their work, as well as of developing country Parties, for example on the ethical application of indigenous knowledge in the context of averting, minimizing and addressing the adverse impacts of climate change.

71 UNFCCC PCCB. 2022. Synthesis report for the technical assessment component of the first global stocktake. Bonn: Germany. Available at https://unfccc.int/documents/461613.

72    Available at https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/bodies/constituted-bodies/adaptation-committee- ac/areas-of-work/AC-NAPTF.

73    Available at http://unfccc-clearinghouse.org.

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  • Katowice Committee of Experts on the Impacts of the Implementation of Response Measures
  • KCI enhanced the capacity and understanding of Parties on the assessment and analysis of the impacts of response measure implementation to facilitate the undertaking of economic diversification and transformation and just transition. KCI prepared knowledge products, organized events, and facilitated the development, enhancement, customization and use of tools and methodologies for modelling and assessing the impacts of response measure implementation, including identifying and reviewing existing tools and approaches in data- poor environments, in consultation with technical experts, practitioners and other stakeholders. Furthermore, KCI explored approaches to inform the development and implementation of climate change mitigation strategies, plans, policies and programmes, including NDCs and long-term low GHG emission development strategies.
  • Standing Committee on Finance
  • The SCF addressed capacity-building issues mainly in the context of the SCF Forums, which provide a platform for a wide range of stakeholders to discuss topics related to climate finance and promote linkages and coherence in the mobilization and delivery of climate finance.
  • Technology Executive Committee and Climate Technology Centre and Network
  • The TEC and the CTCN contributed to capacity-building through the preparation of technical reports and policy briefs, the provision of technical assistance and the organization of workshops, thematic dialogues and forums. The TEC produced a series of publications and policy briefs that provided guidance to developing country Parties, including on the preparation of TAPs, South–South and triangular cooperation on adaptation technologies, and the enhancement of technological innovation for implementing the Paris Agreement. At the global level, the CTCN established a new capacity-building module to help countries develop a pipeline of concept notes on climate technology implementation. At the regional level, the CTCN held forums that further strengthened linkages between NDEs and NDAs, and national officials responsible for TNAs, NAPs and NAMAs to discuss country priorities and strengthen synergies to accelerate technology transfer. At the national level, the CTCN ran its Incubator Programme for the LDCs and continued to undertake capacity-building activities as part of its provision of technical assistance to developing countries that submit requests through their NDEs. The Incubator Programme was updated to include a stronger emphasis on the analysis of NDCs as a basis for the identification and prioritization of technology interventions that can support NDC objectives.
  • Communication on support for enhancing capacity of developing country Parties
  • As stipulated in the Paris Agreement, Article 11, paragraph 4, all Parties enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties to implement the Paris Agreement, including through regional, bilateral and multilateral approaches, should regularly communicate on these actions or measures on capacity-building. Parties have reported on these matters through the BRs, BURs and NCs. However, many developed country Parties that provided support for capacity-building reported that, as capacity-building is an integral part of climate change projects, it is difficult to track and report on capacity-building efforts separately. The cross-cutting and integrated nature of capacity-building also makes it challenging to delineate the financial flows attached solely to the capacity-building component of the projects. In this context, a number of Parties mentioned a need for an internationally agreed approach to tracking capacity-building quantitatively and qualitatively in ODA in general and with regard to climate finance in particular. Furthermore, some developed countries noted a need for redesigning or better aligning national reporting guidelines for capacity-building activities and support provided in the light of the cross-cutting nature of capacity-building and for a common definition of capacity-building, so as to ensure consistent reporting across countries. Developing country Parties also noted that their limited administrative and technical capacities made it difficult to meet reporting responsibilities.

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  • Capacity gaps and needs of developing country Parties
  • Despite the progress made on enhancing the capacity of developing country Parties, capacity gaps and needs for the implementation of the Paris Agreement persist. For developing country Parties, capacity-building remains vital both for the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the formulation, updating and implementation of NDCs, and for the formulation of long-term low GHG emission and climate-resilient development strategies, and transparency.
  • Most developing country Parties in their NDCs identified capacity-building as a prerequisite for achieving NDC targets, with many specifying capacity-building needs for formulating policies, integrating mitigation and adaptation into sectoral planning processes, accessing finance, and providing the necessary information for clarity, transparency and understanding of NDCs. Some Parties emphasized the importance of capacity-building in supporting institutional strengthening in order to ensure the sustainability and retention of capacities at the national level. Most capacity gaps and needs were identified in cross-cutting areas and in adaptation, including in the infrastructure, energy and health sectors and, to a lesser extent, in mitigation. Some Parties also articulated specific capacity-building needs for addressing loss and damage.
  • In addition to the reporting in their NDCs, some developing country Parties provided a more detailed account of their capacity gaps and needs by area and sector in their BURs and NCs. At the systemic level, the lack of supportive legislation or integrated implementation of existing legislation leaves important capacity gaps. Despite the notable progress on building capacity at the institutional level, including through the establishment of new government entities, organizations and research institutions focused on climate change, many developing country Parties indicated in their national reports that the capacity of institutions needs to be strengthened further and coordination between government entities needs to be improved at all levels. At the individual level, many developing country Parties referred to gaps with regard to the training of policymakers, administrative and technical experts needed to enhance capacity of government institutions responsible for handling climate change related issues. In addition, there is a need to identify solutions for retaining qualified personnel to ensure continuity and the development of institutional memory. Furthermore, many developing country Parties highlighted gaps in specific technical skills for implementing national climate change plans and programmes, in particular at the sectoral level, for example in infrastructure and industry. More specifically, developing country Parties described needs for institutional capacity-building, in particular with regard to enhancing capacity of government entities at the national level, including that of national focal points, and the subnational level, as well as of civil society organizations and the private sector, including through:
    • Involving all levels of government and stakeholders in climate policy, promoting interministerial cooperation and stakeholder engagement, and facilitating institutional networks;
    • Reducing inefficiencies through institutional coordination, merger or restructuring;
    • Improving articulation and enforcement of sectoral policies;
    • Strengthening staffing and human resources management;
    • Providing technical and management training;
    • Enhancing capacity to identify and access sources of support or to establish

funds.

  • Developing country Parties also emphasized the lack of institutional capacity for research and development in relation to both adaptation and mitigation.
  • Mitigation and adaptation
  • Developing country Parties identified specific capacity-building needs for the implementation of mitigation actions, including for:

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  • Development or enhancement of legal and regulatory frameworks and institutional arrangements, coordination between ministers and stakeholders, reduction of administrative complexity and improved communications;
    • Enhancement of technical capacity, including for modelling to project GHG emissions and analyse mitigation potential and developing a mitigation baseline;
    • Development of long-range energy alternatives planning systems and the completion of waste to energy, ethanol and utility-scale solar photovoltaic projects;
    • Development of an environment that facilitates private sector investments in mitigation options;
    • Sustainable soil management, water management, seedling management, integrated management of biotic stresses, selection of appropriate crops, sustainable production systems and private sector capacity to produce income-generating plantations such as shea in agroforestry systems.
  • Developing country Parties reported that institutional capacity and technical expertise are still lacking in the collection, management and use of data and in coordination among sectors and institutions in gathering and presenting national-level data. Enhanced capacity is required for:
    • Quantifying emissions; improving estimates of emissions and removals, and accounting; and developing a mitigation baseline;
    • Formulating guidelines on developing sectoral mitigation options;
    • Modelling to project GHG emissions and analyse mitigation potential;
    • Developing parameters for estimating carbon dioxide capture in the urban sectors;
    • Conducting social assessments of public investment, enhancing coordination between the public and private sector, and gathering information to undertake feasibility studies for emission reduction activities.
  • Developing country Parties emphasized a lack of the required knowledge and competence required to undertake vulnerability and adaptation assessments; formulate and implement NAPs and other adaptation plans and programmes, including for vulnerable groups; implement regional pilot projects; carry out forecasting, risk mapping and climate proofing; address loss and damage, including through risk assessment, risk management action and risk-based recover; select and apply tools for monitoring and evaluation of adaptation efforts; and develop resilient communities, livelihoods and ecosystems.
  • With regard to capacity-building needs for vulnerability and adaptation assessment, developing country Parties highlighted the need for:
    • Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks and the capacity of institutions;
    • Developing and maintaining databases on the impacts of climate change;
    • Human resource development;
    • Tools and methods, including technical capacity and equipment (e.g. in relation to climate models, scenarios and projections, mapping impacts, monitoring, remote sensing and using geographic information systems), and research capacity;
    • Building capacity to assess social impacts and develop socioeconomic scenarios, assess the status of vulnerability and determine the required adaptation responses for the major development sectors and for all agroclimatic zones, vulnerable groups and ecosystems.
  • Capacity-building needs in research and systematic observation are concentrated in the areas of domestic research, technical equipment and human resources, namely:
    • Developing integrative and systematic approaches to studying climate change;

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  • Strengthening research institutions and universities, establishing research centres, strengthening meteorological agencies, and enhancing environmental protection services and institutional cooperation;
    • Strengthening the capacity of researchers through training; engaging with universities and research centres, centres of excellence and research networks; accessing information; and establishing postgraduate programmes on climate change.
  • In terms of capacity-building needs for adaptation, developing country Parties highlighted needs in the following areas at the national, subnational and local level:
    • Agriculture, including sectoral scenarios and hydrological and crop models, training farmers in operations, management, retail, transportation, technology and data; strengthening agricultural training centres, regulations for soil protection, weather-indexed crop and livestock insurance, loan stimuli and tax incentives, enabling poor households to switch to better adapted species, and agroforestry;
    • Coastal zones, including coastal zone management and erosion control, climate-proofing the design of coastal infrastructure and investments in infrastructure;
    • Disaster risk management, including multi-hazard early warning systems, assessments, community structures for emergency response and developing disaster risk management strategies;
    • Fisheries, including strengthening knowledge, education, awareness, logistics, monitoring capacity, institutional capacity and climate advisory expertise;
    • Forestry, including capacity to fight fires and for reforestation;
    • Health, including the capacity to identify and manage risks, and to evaluate the effectiveness of programmes, training, facilities and human resources, information systems and communication, databases and registries;
    • Water, including awareness-raising, local management capacity, coordination of stakeholders, and service capacity of subnational entities.
  • Technology development, dissemination and deployment
  • Developing country Parties highlighted capacity gaps and needs at the systemic, institutional and individual level regarding technology development, transfer, dissemination and deployment. At the systemic level, the lack of an enabling environment, including policy frameworks and market mechanisms, was often found to prevent the development and use of climate technologies in various sectors. At the institutional level, capacity gaps remain with regard to the coordination between government entities and stakeholders from academia, civil society and the private sector. At the individual level, capacity gaps and needs pertain to technical skills, know-how and awareness of policymakers, technology developers and end users. Capacity-building needs were expressed in the areas of:
    • Standards and policy frameworks, such as energy policies to build the capacity of energy management systems;
    • Institutional arrangements for private sector engagement;
    • Expertise and human resource development for low-carbon technologies, including the installation, operation and dissemination of renewable energy technologies;
    • Tools for market-led dissemination of technology;
    • Financial support for technology development and innovation;
    • Research capacity and expertise on efficient household appliances.
  • Access to finance
  • Developing country Parties highlighted the need for enhanced capacity to access climate finance in general and support of the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism in particular.

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  • Education, training and public awareness
  • Developing country Parties emphasized the need for human and institutional resources, knowledge transfer, facilities and training. Capacity-building is needed for:
    • Integrating climate change into curricula for primary, secondary and tertiary education, including through strengthening the capacity of teachers, sharing data and establishing laboratories at schools; and into training programmes and quality management systems;
    • Accessing financial support for dedicated projects and programmes on climate change education, training and public awareness;
    • Strengthening the capacity of higher education and research institutions to consider climate change in an interdisciplinary fashion, including in the humanities, social sciences and arts;
    • Establishing institutions, such as a centre for education for sustainable development or a national focal point for climate change education, and an environmental communications unit;
    • Developing methods to produce, access and disseminate climate change information;
    • Improving skills and knowledge of the labour force through education and training, providing opportunities for the unemployed and promoting green jobs;
    • Enhancing the awareness of society, citizens, decision makers, civil servants, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and media, on climate change, including impacts, commitments, adaptation, behavioural change, energy conservation and sustainable energy, and the importance of natural resources, science, technology and ancient and indigenous knowledge;
    • Developing strategic plans and communication strategies to enhance public awareness and align public awareness activities with policy goals, including by assessing states of awareness, fostering information-sharing and education, and undertaking surveys with the aim of enhancing awareness, and by involving stakeholders in awareness-raising efforts;
    • Developing information materials for local communities, including in their native languages, and organizing awareness campaigns and workshops tailored to the local population.
  • Transparent, timely and accurate communication of information
  • Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Paris Agreement stipulates that capacity-building should enhance the capacity and ability of developing country Parties to communicate information in a transparent, timely and accurate manner. In addition, Article 11, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement calls on developing country Parties to regularly communicate progress made on implementing capacity-building plans, policies, actions or measures to implement the Agreement.
  • In terms of capacity gaps and needs regarding the transparent, timely and accurate communication of information under the Paris Agreement, developing country Parties highlighted needs for enhancing the capacity of institutions and individuals in charge of meeting reporting requirements at the national level and of institutions at the regional, local and sectoral levels, as well as for strengthening coordination within and among institutions. Specific needs were identified for capacity-building for various tools and methods, including the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, IPCC subcategories, country and source-specific emission factors, guidelines for quality assurance and quality control and the capacity of quality assurance and quality control units, sector-specific data generation, estimation of abatement costs, and data management to develop inventories and baselines, including arrangements to collect data, ensure quality and accuracy and validation of data.

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  • Other capacity gaps and needs
  • Some developing country Parties also highlighted capacity gaps and needs with regard to integrating cross-cutting issues into their climate actions, including gender aspects, human rights, just transition and indigenous knowledge.
  • Capacity gaps and needs in research and systematic observation focus on domestic research, technical equipment and human resources. Developing country Parties highlighted needs for:
    • Establishing integrated and systematic approaches for studying climate change;
    • Strengthening research institutions; establishing research centres, strengthening meteorological agencies, environmental protection services and research institutions and universities; and institutional cooperation;
    • Strengthening the capacity of researchers through training; engaging with universities and research centres, centres of excellence and research networks; accessing information; and postgraduate programmes on climate change;
    • Ensuring sustained funding for research and systematic observation;
    • Strengthening availability and quality of data, in particular by:
  • Enhancing data production through stronger hydrological, meteorological, maritime, coastal and ecosystem monitoring, and by improving high altitude observations, remote sensing and geographic information systems;
  • Enhancing the density and sustainability of observation sites, including Global Climate Observation System sites;
  • Establishing an integrated environmental monitoring network or an oceanographic data programme;
  • Building the capacity of meteorological services in terms of observation networks, communication systems, data acquisition and dissemination, and human resources, including in cooperation with the private sector;
  • Improving databases, processing and storage; establishing a clearing house for climate data; and strengthening information technology skills;
    • Increasing research capacity for data interpretation, trend analysis, scenario development and forecasting, including for various sectors;
    • Ensuring access to models and technologies; capacity for regional, national and local modelling, and biophysical models; and modelling ecological impacts;
    • Strengthening relevant social sciences to model socioeconomic implications of climate change and impacts of response measures.