It’s a pretty technical topic so we thought we’d break it down for you, so our Pacific islands people have a better understanding of the Enhanced Transparency Framework, what it is and what it means for us as a Pacific Islands region.
As you may know, collectively our Pacific Islands contribute to less than 0.03% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions yet we are amongst the most vulnerable to its impacts. It’s the effects of climate change that have led our Pacific Leaders to declare that climate change is the greatest existential threat to the security of our livelihoods.
On the global stage, our Pacific Islands are demonstrating leadership as we address life with climate change on all levels. We are working to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, while we adapt and adjust to the threats it brings.
One such example of our Pacific leadership is a workshop being held in April on the Enhanced Transparency Framework organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme supported by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This training is funded with UK International Development from the UK Government.
It’s a very technical topic so we’ve tried to set the ETF scene for you, provide the basics to whet your appetite, so you have an idea as to what it is that our global community and our Pacific are doing to track the work being done to address the impacts of climate change.
What is the Enhanced Transparency Framework?
In a nutshell, it’s a critical component under the Paris Agreement – it provides the guidelines for a centralised global reporting system that allows the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to track progress on how Parties are advancing their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and how they are adapting to climate change.
It builds upon the system for reporting that was already in place under the Convention. The first reports under the Paris Agreement to the ETF were due by 31 December 2024 at the very latest.
For this to happen countries had to agree on when the Paris Agreement’s ETF would replace the existing transparency arrangements and on the specific provisions, guidelines and processes for reporting and review.
You can read more about the ETF on the UNFCCC website at: https://unfccc.int/FAQ-moving-towards-the-ETF
Or at the World Research Institute website: https://www.wri.org/paris-rulebook/enhanced-transparency-framework
Why is this important for our Pacific Islands?
We are on the receiving end of the climate change impacts, its important for us to know that there is a system in place in which Parties must show how they are working towards their commitments when they signed on to the Paris Agreement.
We’ve all worked hard to have the world come together to agree there is a problem, the science tells us so, now we are working hard to ensure that this is being addressed and collectively the world is trying to solve this problem.
It is through the ETF - the documented evidence that this is happening.
How is the Pacific working towards the ETF?
As a Pacific Small Islands Developing State, we do report under the ETF yet are afforded special flexibility around how often and to what level of detail because of our capacity constraints to report to the ETF.
Given the technicality and what is involved with reporting, the Pacific is coming together to build their capacity to be able to report on their progress at the national level.
This is just to whet your appetite as to what the ETF is and why it’s important for us, a very generic explainer to provide you with further information. You can learn so much more at the UNFCCC link - https://unfccc.int/FAQ-moving-towards-the-ETF
The “Hands on training workshop on the use of the ETF Reporting Tools for Pacific Island Countries” will be held from 14 to 17 April 2026 in Apia Samoa. The training is funded with UK International Development from the UK Government. It is organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme with the support of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.