Based on the positive results achieved from a Phase I ICAT project, the Government of Mozambique, through the Ministry of Land and Environment (MTA), intends to use a Phase II ICAT project to strengthen its institutional arrangements for measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) processes in order to advance its country’s capacity to track the implementation of their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and achieve their climate targets.

Acknowledging that a national MRV system will be crucial in assisting the country to prepare their first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) by 2024, the Phase II project will design and implement legal frameworks through the establishment of data collection, reporting and verification methodologies and procedures within, and between, the relevant stakeholders.

This focus on institutional capacity is a key pillar of ICAT’s approach in supporting its partner countries to make effective climate actions and policies. By working side-by-side with the relevant government ministries, ICAT will support Mozambique to select the most appropriate institutional arrangements according to their national circumstances and priorities. This is emphasised by Luis Buchir, former National Director of Climate Change, who states how: “the Phase II project will respond to the critical need to support the strengthening of institutional capacity in Mozambique so we can meet the requirements of enhanced transparency under the Paris Agreement and strategically monitor our progress in implementing our NDCs.”

As a result of ICAT’s short, agile project approach, the findings and learnings from Phase I projects provide a solid foundation for successful Phase II projects. In Mozambique’s case, despite the occurrence of regular workshops and consultations with a variety of different stakeholders, the need to improve the coordination and information sharing between institutions, with progress to be shared among high‐level decision‐makers from the institutions, was identified. According to Mr. Buchir, a Phase II ICAT project will allow MTA to address this key issue: “the Ministry of Land and Environment intends to tackle the need for increased engagement between its various institutions, as identified in the ICAT Phase I project, by delivering trainings on the ICAT Assessment Guide for stakeholder participation as well as knowledge exchanges with other countries..”

As part of the Phase I project, Mozambique also carried out an ex-ante evaluation of the GHG emission reductions of the country’s feed-in tariff regulation for renewable energy (REFIT) and the country’s charcoal Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) by utilising the ICAT Policy Assessment Guides for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development. In addition to mapping out the barriers and gaps that may hinder the implementation of an MRV system for the REFIT regulation, the findings of the evaluation delivered the government a valuable recommendation. According to Telma Manjate, Technician at the Department of Climate Change (DMC), the application of ICAT’s Policy Assessment Guides showed the government that “if implemented, the regulation would lead to a GHG emission reduction of 2.54 MtCO2eq (4.3%) in the electricity generation sector by 2030, presenting an opportunity for enhanced NDC ambition.”

In addition to the development of a roadmap report proposing the establishment of a robust national MRV system with recommendations for policymakers, the Phase I project recommended further work on the functionality of the country’s national MRV system and to identify a common and viable platform for making data available, which will facilitate the MRV process.

Outlook

The ICAT Mozambique Phase II project, which will run until April 2021, will ensure the sustainability of capacity building efforts in the country through the development of a training program that covers NDC tracking, planning of mitigation actions, GHG inventories and the monitoring and reporting of necessary and received support.  For more information about ICAT’s Phase I or II projects in Mozambique, please contact ICAT’s Implementing Partner, Denis Desgain at UNEP DTU Partnership.