The adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015 ushered in a new era for climate action transparency. For the first time, developed and developing countries alike took on the responsibility to pursue strong climate action and to regularly report on progress, including greenhouse gas emissions and the implementation of policies and measures.

The Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) was conceived as the backbone of the Paris Agreement, a data-founded framework for accountability and effective implementation. However, developing countries had to overcome significant capacity constraints to strengthen transparency mechanisms to support evidence-based action and meet reporting requirements. 

Since 2021, the Blended Training Course on Climate Transparency and the ETF has been offered to developing country government officials and technical practitioners. We discussed with course alumni and trainers about their experience and lessons learned along the way. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. 

Hannah Swee: Climate transparency training evolves with country needs

Hannah Swee is a Climate Change Expert and manages ICAT’s training and capacity development activities, including coordinating the development of the ICAT toolbox. She has led the coordination of the Blended Training Course on Climate Transparency and the ETF from the ICAT side since 2021.

How has the course evolved since 2021? What are your key takeaways from the experience?

The course has evolved a lot. When we first started developing the course in 2021, countries didn’t have experience with Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), so the material needed to cater to this. As the years have passed and after seven rounds of the training, it’s clear that countries’ needs have evolved. They are now focusing on BTR 2, responding to technical expert review feedback, and expanding their capacity to assess mitigation actions and all the benefits this can bring, beyond international reporting. New topics have also been introduced to the course, such as climate finance transparency, driven by these evolving needs. 

What are your key takeaways from the experience?

For me, it has been extremely important to offer a training experience that accounts for regional contexts and training needs. This is one of the success factors of this course. The development takes into account how people learn effectively as well as the technically rich context. That’s why we split the course into interactive e-learning modules and facilitated webinars with country-led case studies. This helps participants share and learn from each other, and they often leave feeling much more confident.

From your perspective as ICAT’s toolbox and learning expert, how have the ICAT tools, which feature in the course, contributed to strengthening participants’ understanding of climate transparency?

The toolbox is a unique element of ICAT. The ICAT methodologies, designed to be flexible and to cater to many different needs, have driven much of the content in the ETF blended training course. For many course participants, policy impact assessment is not something that they feel fully confident in. Being able to translate some of the methodologies into straightforward and engaging e-learning modules, webinars and workshop sessions has been really powerful. Participants have expressed that it wasn’t as overwhelming as they had thought, and that they can now see how to start trying it out in their home countries. Also, one thing I always keep in mind in my work on developing the toolbox is that trainings are great opportunities to hear from countries about their needs and the usability of the tools and guides.

In the current phase of the Paris Agreement, as countries move deeper into NDC 3.0 implementation, what role do you see for transparency training in supporting effective climate action and the success of the Paris Agreement? 

We hear more and more from countries about their need to set up climate finance transparency frameworks, so this is definitely going to be an important aspect. I also think that countries are moving beyond seeing transparency as a purely reporting process. Policy impact assessment and building strong transparency frameworks will be crucial to support long-term work and decision-making at a national level. Additionally, peer-to-peer learning and train-the-trainers approaches will be essential. This is where I see so much benefit in training.

Gabriela Huttemann: In-country application consolidates climate transparency training

Gabriela Huttemann is the Director General of the National Forest Monitoring System within Paraguay’s National Forest Institute, where she coordinates and oversees the collection, analysis, and dissemination of forestry data, represents the institution, and supports collaboration with public and private entities. She completed the Blended Training Course on Climate Transparency and the Enhanced Transparency Framework in 2024.

You completed the training course on climate transparency and the Enhanced Transparency Framework in 2024. What motivated you to participate, and was it useful for your work?

My main motivation was to strengthen my capacities in the ETF and understand it from a sectoral perspective, in line with my role as coordinator of the National Forest Monitoring System. Monitoring, reporting, and verification systems are extremely important across all sectors to report and demonstrate the results of our daily work. The course was very valuable for me, especially in translating technical concepts into practical tools, learning methodologies, and understanding how to apply them, particularly for tracking NDCs from a sectoral perspective. There are specific measures under these commitments for which we are responsible. Also, policy evaluation was especially useful, and quite new for me and for the country.

Looking back, how have you applied what you learned in your daily work, especially regarding tracking of NDC implementation and policies and measures? 

I had the good fortune to apply what I learned shortly after completing the course through a national ICAT project. The timing was ideal: I completed the course, gained both theoretical and practical knowledge and was able to apply it directly in my daily work. The project focused on building a system for the monitoring and evaluation of forest policies. We applied appropriate methodologies to measure the impact of two specific policies. In doing so, we realized that it was also necessary to take a more holistic view, using sustainable development methodologies and considering a more integrated perspective. It was very useful to have this training so close in time to the project. 

This edition of the course brought together participants from across Latin America. Tell us about that exchange. 

Having participants from many countries and sectors was one of the most valuable aspects of the course. Some countries have already overcome challenges that we are still facing, so we could learn from their good practices. For example, we interacted with countries like Colombia, which is advanced in inter-institutional coordination, and Chile, which has overcome several challenges we still face, especially coordination between sectors and the ministry responsible for climate reporting. Following these examples helped us address some of our own challenges with the Ministry of Environment. We were able to align criteria regarding reporting frequency and content requirements. Practices such as formal agreements, memoranda of understanding, and technical working groups, rather than relying only on high-level coordination, were very useful.

Would you recommend the course to others? How do you think climate transparency trainings can be useful in practice? 

I would definitely recommend it. However, I think what really consolidates the knowledge is applying it in practice. While the course includes practical exercises, it is only when you implement the concepts in your daily work that you truly understand gaps and how to adapt them to your national context. Each country is different, so real application is essential to fully internalize the learnings. The course covers theory and includes exercises, and the regional perspective is very helpful. But real learning happens when you apply it in your daily work. Ideally, participants should have opportunities to implement what they learned through national projects or similar practical applications.

Sandhya Balasubrahmanyam: Technical training should be fun and interactive

Sandhya Balasubrahmanyam is a Learning Portfolio Manager with the UN System Staff College (UNSSC), a leading learning and training institution within the UN system. She works in the Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development, where she manages a portfolio of learning products focused on climate, environment, and economics, which includes the Blended course on Climate Transparency and the ETF. 

You’ve been offering this training since around 2021 across different regions. How would you describe your overall experience, and what key lessons have you learned?

The experience has been fantastic and a huge learning process. We started with the goal to build capacity at the country level to implement the ETF, not just for reporting, but to support national climate ambitions. This was critical in how we designed the course, in partnership with different organizations, each bringing unique expertise in building this product. From the UNSSC perspective, we know that technical trainings are often delivered in rigid formats, so we wanted to make this one as interactive and immersive as leadership or communication trainings. One major insight is that participants learn a great deal from each other. Inter-country exchange is a critical part of the programme. The biggest highlight is seeing alumni stay connected. Participants reach out during events or when they’re in town. That’s something the programme has built, a connection that lasts. 

Since the course started, most countries have submitted their first BTRs, while some are now preparing their second BTR. As a trainer, have you observed differences in countries’ capacity and readiness? 

Absolutely. The conversations we had during the very first climate transparency course back in 2021 are very different from the ones in 2024 and 2025. Countries have progressed in their technical understanding, institutional systems, and implementation capacity. At a time when it’s hard to find positive climate-related news, this is my source of joy. That’s a significant sign that things are actually moving in this space. We can all be very proud of that.  

What techniques work best when training complex topics like climate transparency?

For every topic, you need to have substantive knowledge. But equally important is recognizing real-world constraints, like imperfect data. Peer learning is critical. The reality on the ground is context-dependent, and there is so much variation. Countries can learn from each other how to manage under the existing conditions. Also, learning happens when you surprise the brain, when you’re breaking out of a regular pattern. Even technical training should be immersive, practical, fun, engaging, and interactive. So the core principles remain the same: substantively sound content, immersive and engaging techniques, and peer learning.

Looking ahead, how should training programmes evolve?

The first thing to consider is the massive demand. Seven years of continued interest and consistently excellent completion rates show this. Second, this is driving change. From 2021 to now, the level and range of expertise at the country level have changed significantly. That’s a sign that what we are doing is working. At the same time, we’re seeing a much wider variation in country experiences and capacities. For example, the data availability, institutional structures, and capacities in a small island developing state differ vastly from those in a middle-income country that is already well into its second BTR. In the future, we will increasingly need to provide more specialized and targeted support. There is also a real need for learning from practice across regions and between countries. Finally, we see recurring challenges, such as insufficient legislation, stakeholder engagement, political will, and data systems. Training can play a role in developing the skills to create these enabling conditions that support better implementation of the ETF. 

Kathleen Asena: Climate transparency literacy should be embedded across all sectors

Kathleen Asena is a geophysicist working at the National Oil Corporation of Kenya, focusing on subsurface interpretation, exploration and management of oil and gas resources. She completed the Blended Training Course on Climate Transparency and the Enhanced Transparency Framework in 2025.

What encouraged you to participate in the ETF training? Had you been involved much in climate action before? 

I work as a technical geophysicist in the oil and gas industry. Climate action is not traditionally seen as a core function of this kind of technical role. However, the sector operates in such a way that environmental accountability is expected. That’s really how I found myself drawn to this training. I’ve been previously involved in modelling energy scenarios, which included considering emissions associated with oil and gas production. Through that process, I began to realise how important emissions reporting is, and how we can contribute to it. Climate transparency is becoming integral to the industry. It ought to be embedded across all sectors, including oil and gas, not just handled by a small group within the Ministry of Environment. So this training was a way for me to build my literacy. 

What was your experience of the training itself? What skills and learnings did you gain?

The experience was amazing. Overall, it was very valuable because of the skills I picked up and the people I met. It was a mix of technical learning and interpersonal relationships. The training highlighted the types of data, indicators, and institutional arrangements needed for climate and emissions reporting. I also learned a lot from peers, particularly those from countries with mature oil and gas sectors, like Egypt. Instead of starting from scratch, we can learn from their experience: what worked, what didn’t, and how they approached operational data from companies and national reporting under the ETF. One of the biggest takeaways for me is that peer-to-peer learning is one of the best tools.

How straightforward do you feel it would be to implement those things in your field of work? Are there challenges or areas where you’d like further training or support?

We need to understand our role as a sector, the sectoral data needed and how we can adjust our internal systems so we can feed into national reporting. One important realization is that our challenges are not unique. There was a skit during the training that really stayed with me. It highlighted common issues like miscommunication, missing data, working in silos and not understanding the roles of the different entities. But we also need to recognise that development and climate ambitions are on par. Countries like Norway, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia developed by leveraging their resources while also addressing climate implications. What I would like to learn more about is how countries with active oil and gas sectors integrate operational data into national transparency systems. 

Any other reflections on climate transparency training?

We really need to factor in development as we work towards a low-carbon future. Across African countries, there are many shared challenges, whether it’s energy access, jobs, or economic growth. Climate action is not something we ought to look at in isolation. For example, clean cooking is not just about emissions; it’s also about affordability and livelihoods. Climate action is a cross-cutting issue that we need to approach holistically. For those of us in the energy and extractives sectors, we are not outside the climate transparency conversation; we are integral to it. We need to be part of the discussion. That’s my biggest takeaway. Let’s coordinate much better as institutions, let’s work together, and let’s recognize the important role played by technical professionals.