For El Salvador, a developing country that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, climate action is critical. El Salvador’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) place a strong emphasis on both adaptation and mitigation efforts. However, without reliable systems to measure the impact of its climate actions, El Salvador struggled to assess whether it was on track to meet its climate goals. 

Supported by the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), El Salvador embarked on a journey to develop and strengthen its national NDC tracking framework. The project was coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, with the engagement of numerous national institutions, and support from technical experts from the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute (GHGMI). It strengthened El Salvador’s institutional arrangements, enhanced capacity, and created a digital NDC tracking platform, enabling the country to effectively track and implement its climate commitments.

ICAT workshop group photo by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador

Building institutional foundations for NDC tracking 

The project started with an assessment that revealed significant gaps in NDC institutionalization. Government bodies showed limited ownership of NDCs, with poor integration into strategic and annual operating plans. Formal NDC responsibilities were absent from internal regulations, systems for managing NDC tracking information were underdeveloped, and inter-institutional coordination agreements were insufficient.

Knowledge gaps regarding the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) further complicated NDC implementation. Despite funding constraints and the absence of formal frameworks,  the assessment found that El Salvador’s institutions showed notable interest in supporting the country to meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement.

Understanding these barriers was crucial for success. Based on the assessment, the project team carried out capacity-building and awareness-raising activities to close the knowledge gap. The project also took steps to set legal foundations, proposing an Executive Agreement to formalize El Salvador’s NDC tracking framework, which could fill a long-standing regulatory gap. 

Developing robust NDC tracking indicators

The project’s second stage focused on reviewing and adjusting El Salvador’s NDC tracking indicators. The country had in place 30 NDC indicators and 139 operational indicators for sectoral plans. However, these failed to meet the Enhanced Transparency Framework’s requirements, while some NDC measures lacked indicators entirely.

Following capacity-building workshops, representatives from 16 national institutions collaboratively reviewed the existing NDC indicators and developed new ones where they were missing. They used structured Excel matrices aligned with international requirements as working tools. These also served as a foundation for the NDC tracking web-based platform that was developed at the next stage.

This work resulted in a refinement of the country’s NDC tracking indicators, improving El Salvador’s ability to systematically track progress. 55 indicators were selected, all aligned with the ETF’s requirements, covering both mitigation and adaptation. Examples of new and updated indicators include “number of sustainable agricultural practices implemented,” in the context of adaptation, and “reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from renewable energy growth,” for mitigation. 

The process of developing the indicators promoted a shared understanding of NDC success metrics and enhanced knowledge around NDC tracking transparency requirements. It also highlighted the need for stronger institutionalization of NDC monitoring to enable systematic tracking and addressed the demanding task of NDC data management.

ICAT workshop photo by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador

Creating a digital platform for NDC tracking

In the project’s final stage, El Salvador developed a pilot web-based platform, as a centralized digital tool for tracking its NDCs. The platform can be expanded in the future with additional functionalities, such as monitoring climate policies and measures, and tracking support received.

For the development of the platform, El Salvador exchanged with experts in Bolivia and Costa Rica, both ICAT partner countries with previous relevant experience. The exchange inspired the design of the NDC platform, particularly regarding module organization, data visualization, and user traceability. The platform introduces different user levels—administrator, super user, reviewer, and reporter—enabling complete online review and approval. 

National stakeholders received the pilot NDC tracking platform with great enthusiasm. Users embraced the digital platform, with many describing it as “the most notable and tangible contribution” of the entire project. 

The process for developing the NDC tracking system and platform helped enhance national ownership across institutions. Stakeholders who initially approached NDC tracking with reluctance became active champions of robust NDC data management within their organizations, reflecting a broad understanding of the transformational power of transparency.

Strengthening NDC design and implementation through transparency 

El Salvador’s NDC tracking framework and digital platform represent a new approach to NDCs, grounded in evidence. The new systems can provide policymakers with reliable information, identifying which NDC actions deliver impact and where gaps persist in implementation.

As El Salvador prepares its NDC 3.0, the country can use unprecedented data and insights into the implementation of its current NDC to improve the next round of commitments. In this way, NDC ambition can go hand-in-hand with realism and credibility.