By Tom Kiptenai
Traditionally, monitoring, reporting and verification systems adopted by countries have been a standalone system with single modules. However, Kenya has resolved to adopt an integrated MRV where all the modules are in one platform. With fundings from UNDP, the Ministry of Environment through the Climate Change Directorate contracted a consulting firm to develop an Integrated Monitoring Reporting and Verification System (iMRV) to be used in the country’s climate actions.
The system has 5 main components or modules. These include;
- National Greenhouse Gases Inventory: The modules centers on estimating, reporting, and verifying actual emissions over a defined period. This type of MRV can be performed at national level, or by organizations and facilities.
- Nationally Determined Contribution implementation/mitigation actions: This module involves assessing (ex-ante or ex-post) GHG emissions reductions and/or sustainable development (non-GHG) effects of policies, projects, and actions, as well as monitoring their implementation progress. It also involves assessing progress toward mitigation goals.
- Adaptation actions: involves assessing (ex-ante or ex-post) specific adaptation and/or sustainable development (SDGs) effects of policies, projects, and actions, as well as monitoring their implementation progress. It also involves assessing progress toward national adaptation plans.
- Climate finance flow: Aims to track and monitor the provision and receipt of financial flows, technical knowledge, and capacity building, and evaluating the results and impact of support).
- Sustainable Development Goals: The module focuses on SDGs mapping and monitoring for climate actions, integrates data for SDGs impact monitoring, allows for review and analysis and finally SDGs Impact Reporting.
Figure 1: Operational Structure of the iMRV
In terms of reporting, the system will help in streamlining the generation of integrated MRV report, NDC progress report, National GHG inventory (NIR), biennial update reports (BUR), International financial and technical support reports. In their quest to continue and operationalize the Integrated Monitoring and Verification system, strengthen /affirm institutional arrangements, review the reporting templates, retest the system tool with sectors and eventually launch the system for wider use the Ministry through CCD hosted a validation workshop between 7th to 11th February 2022. The planned workshop achieved the following:
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Reviewed the updated MRV system and its functionality
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Test run the system with sectors
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Validated the system
Some of the data inputs for the Integrated Monitoring, Reporting and Verification System are a product of the Vital Signs-supported work on Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) that built Kenya's capacity to effectively track and report greenhouse gas emissions. This feeds into the Greenhouse Gases inventory module. Other nature-based solution related projects that directly contributes to Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contributions from Conservation International's work include the Chyulu Hills REDD+ project.
What is remaining is for the views from the sectors to be incorporated by the consultant paving way for the official launch of the system. The iMRV will;
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Help Kenya to assess and track the implementation of planned actions including the status of implementation and progress achieved of national climate change goals
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Internationally enable the country to meet her reporting requirements under the Convention.-enhanced transparency framework of the Paris Agreement for post-2020 requirements -where she is expected to report on the national GHG inventory and progress towards achieving their NDCs.
Other key benefits:
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Informed decision making for national and international policymakers
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Provide the information basis for planning and implementing climate actions
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Unlock new sources of finance to combat climate change by documenting impact and good governance practices
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Identify needs for technical and financial support and assist in institutionalizing activities related to reporting on climate change
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Build national capacities and ensure sustainability of reporting processes.
For more information, please contact Tom Kiptenai tkiptenai-kemboi@conservation.org