The Paris Agreement was adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015, during the 21st session of Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and entered into force on 4 November 2016. This landmark agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and requires all Parties to establish robust measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems and to communicate their efforts to UNFCCC. In this context, on 22-Jul-21, GEF approved a project identification form (PIF) and project preparation grant (PPG) submitted by FAO titled ‘Strengthening capacity in the Energy, Agriculture, Forestry, and other Land-use Sectors for Enhanced Transparency in the Implementation and Monitoring of Vanuatu’s Nationally Determined Contribution’.

The project aims to develop Vanuatu’s institutional and human capacities for complying with Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) reporting requirements of the Paris Agreement, and implementation and monitoring of Vanuatu’s Nationally Determined Contribution focusing on Energy, Agriculture, Forestry and other Land-use Sectors. With the MOCC Department of Environment Protection and Conservation (DEPC) of Vanuatu & Department of Climate Change as executing partner, and CBIT as resource partner, the GEF-7 has entrusted FAO for the preparation and implementation of the project.

The project will be executed under the following components and outcomes:

Project Component 1: Strengthening Vanuatu’s institutional arrangements for a robust MRV system for NDC climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.

Outcomes of Project Component 1:

 1.1 NDC transparency system in place following the UNFCCC modalities, procedures, and guidelines.

1.2 Key Ministries, Agencies, Departments, and other stakeholder’s capacity strengthened to track the NDC actions.

Outputs of Project Component 1:

1.1.1 Institutional arrangements strengthened.

1.1.2. Sectoral transparency guidelines and protocols are established for enhanced NDC climate change mitigation, adaptation, and addressing L&D for observed and potential climate change impacts (e.g. extreme weather events and slow onset events).

1.1. 3 Established operational quality control and assurance mechanism.

1.2.1 Strengthened guidelines on monitoring and reporting of climate financing focusing on domestic and international sources, and both public and private sector.

1.2.2 Strengthened capacity of national climate changes stakeholders to track the enhanced NDC adaptation actions.

Project Component 2: Provision of an online platform, tools, and training for a robust MRV system focusing on Energy, Agriculture, Forestry, and other Land-use Sectors.

Outcomes of Project Component 2:

2.1 Operational digital data integration and sharing system for a robust MRV system hosted by DEPC.

Outputs of Project Component 2:

2.1.1 Upgraded Information Technology (IT) system for a robust MRV system hosted by MOCC based on the existing system.

2.1.2 Strengthened human capacity on GHG emissions and removal tools, and climate vulnerability assessment through training and peer to peer learning.

The project will be implemented by FAO and executed by the Ministry od Climate Change and the Ministry of Agrivulture (MALFFB).