Regional Workshop on Measurement, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sharing practical experiences from the Americas and the EU/Germany, held in Santiago de Chile.
The objective of the activity was to create a space for dialogue among the countries in order to make progress on the challenges that the MRV system involves.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), through its Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division, under the framework of the EUROCLIMA+ programme, organised the regional workshop on Measurement, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sharing practical experiences from the Americas and the European Union/Germany for August 26 and 27 in Santiago, Chile.
The activity, held at ECLAC headquarters, was carried out jointly with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Ministries of Environment and Energy of Chile.
The objective of the workshop was to provide a space for dialogue to share practical experiences among countries of the Americas and the European Union, particularly with Germany, on how to measure, report and verify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (MRV) with a view toward the new opportunities for cooperation among countries for GHG mitigation opened up by Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Susana Agüero, International Cooperation and Development Officer of the European Union Delegation in Chile, highlighted the work of EUROCLIMA+ as a cooperation programme with Latin America and reiterated the European Union's commitment to the development of the region in the coming years.
“The European Union will continue to support development cooperation in Latin America, especially with regard to climate change,” she said.
She added that “the European Union is designing its new 2020-2027 financial framework and it has been proposed that 30% of the budget be earmarked for climate actions”.
Marlen Gorner, international advisor to the Energy Programme of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), referred to the importance of the MRV system.
“We know that countries in the region have different views on the appropriate measurement tools that can help reduce carbon emissions, but they all need to be accountable. We hope that this event can be a technical contribution toward implementing specific MRV measures, thereby strengthening capacities in all countries. This is a way to move towards sound accounting for climate change mitigation,” she said.
For her part, Jenny Mery, head of the Mitigation area of the Climate Change office of Chile's Ministry of the Environment, pointed out the importance of these types of dialogue spaces in creating synergies at the regional level.
“We previously worked with MRV system issues at the regional level where, through technical exchanges with our peers, we have been able to make progress on common gaps and challenges. The case of the Pacific Alliance is a good example of this. But it is necessary to continue moving forward, which is why we are grateful for these kinds of opportunities because we know that working together in this regard is essential,” she explained.
Finally, Jimy Ferrer, Economic Affairs Officer of ECLAC’s Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division, addressed the challenges countries face in making progress on MRV systems.
“One of the challenges is to have systems for collecting information and producing statistics that accompany and support the implementation of an MRV system. It should also be borne in mind that having an MRV system requires a solid and strengthened institutional architecture that ensures its implementation," explained the ECLAC expert.
The activity was aimed at technical professionals involved in the implementation of climate policies in general and in the processes of measurement, reporting and verification of emissions in particular, from member countries of the MRV Group of the Pacific Alliance, consisting of Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile, and other Latin American countries interested in MRV, including Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic.
About EUROCLIMA+
EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union to promote environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development in 18 Latin American countries, particularly for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), French Development Agency (AFD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), and UN Environment.
Contacts
General press contact for the EUROCLIMA+ programme
Alexandra Cortés. EUROCLIMA+ Programme: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
EUROCLIMA+ contact for the Climate Governance component at CEPAL
Javiera Díaz: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.