Developing and establishing an integrated and harmonized national MRV/M&E system for Ethiopia project aims to establish a robust and functional national system for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a National Determined Contribution (NDC) Tracker in Ethiopia. Currently, Ethiopia likely has some capacity for GHG accounting, but this project seeks to significantly enhance and integrate these efforts. The project will focus on three key activities: updating the institutional framework for national greenhouse gas accounting, improving and implementing the comprehensive MRV framework, and establishing a national system for tracking NDC progress.

In essence, this project is about building the foundational systems and capacities needed for Ethiopia to effectively track its GHG emissions, monitor its climate actions, and report on its progress towards its NDCs. This is essential for both domestic policy development and international reporting requirements.

The project aims to design and pilot the national integrated Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system and NDC Tracker.

The project’s objective is to provide support for developing and establishing an integrated and harmonized National MRV/M&E system for Ethiopia through three main components, each addressing an important aspect of the challenges being faced by the Government of Ethiopia in achieving their climate ambitions.

– Updating GHG inventory Institutional Arrangements: This involves clarifying roles and responsibilities among different government agencies and other stakeholders involved in collecting, analyzing, and reporting GHG emissions data.

– Updating and operationalizing an integrated MRV system: The project will update and operationalize the national integrated MRV system. This means developing or refining the methodologies for measuring and estimating emissions from different sectors (e.g., energy, agriculture, land use), establishing data management systems, and creating clear reporting procedures.

Develop NDC tracker in Ethiopia: The project will implement an NDC Tracker to monitor progress towards achieving Ethiopia’s climate commitments under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This tracker will involve setting clear indicators, collecting data on relevant activities, and regularly reporting on progress. The tracker will help Ethiopia assess the effectiveness of its climate policies and identify areas where further action is needed. It will also enhance transparency and accountability in climate action

Ethiopia, highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, faces a complex challenge.  The country’s economy, heavily reliant on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, is already experiencing the adverse effects of changing weather patterns, including more frequent and severe droughts, erratic rainfall, and rising temperatures. These impacts threaten food security, water resources, and livelihoods, hindering Ethiopia’s development progress. In response to this vulnerability and recognizing the global need for climate action, Ethiopia has committed to ambitious targets for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the changing climate under the Paris Agreement.  These Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) outline Ethiopia’s plans to reduce emissions across key sectors, such as energy, agriculture, and forestry, and build resilience to climate change impacts in vulnerable sectors.

However, effectively implementing and tracking progress towards these NDCs requires a robust and transparent Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system.  Such a system is essential for demonstrating the country’s climate action achievements, informing policy adjustments, attracting international climate finance, and fostering trust among stakeholders.  Currently, Ethiopia faces challenges in establishing a comprehensive and integrated MRV system, including data gaps, limited technical capacity, and a lack of standardized methodologies.  This project directly addresses these critical needs by aiming to design and pilot a national integrated MRV system and NDC Tracker.

The project aims to establish a robust and sustainable system that enhances transparency, data accuracy, and capacity-building in measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of climate actions. This overarching outcome will be achieved through the following key outputs:

– Strengthened GHG Inventory Management: This involves both a GHG Inventory Gap Assessment to pinpoint areas for improvement and an updated and operationalized GHG Inventory database to ensure accurate and accessible data

– Enhanced NDC Tracking and Assessment: This component focuses on developing the tools and methodologies necessary to effectively track progress on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This includes a developed NDC mitigation Actions assessment to evaluate the impact of specific mitigation measures and a developed NDC Tracker to visually represent and communicate progress towards NDC targets.

Harmonized Monitoring and Evaluation: A harmonized MRV and M&E system will be developed to streamline data collection, analysis, and reporting. This integrated system will ensure consistency and efficiency in tracking both mitigation and adaptation actions, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of climate action progress and impact.