Building Transparency for Climate Action: Global training programme expands reach
The Climate Action and Support Transparency Training programme (CASTT) continues to strengthen developing countries’ capacity to implement the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), by equipping national experts with tools and guidance to refine greenhouse gas inventories, improve adaptation reporting, and prepare Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) that feed directly into national climate plans.
In 2025 alone, the programme trained 119 experts from developing countries through a mix of lectures, interactive exercises, and country-focused clinics to better support the preparation of BTRs – reports to be submitted by countries assessing the actions they have taken to deliver on their climate commitments.
Held in Lima, Peru, from 1-4 April 2025, the UNFCCC-CASTT Adaptation Academy in Latin America and the Caribbean brought together 30 experts from 13 countries. Organized by UN Climate Change, Fundación Avina, the Development Bank of Latin America, and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – with support from consulting company Libélula – the four-day training combined country clinics, panel discussions and field activities to strengthen skills in adaptation and loss and damage reporting under the ETF.
Participants highlighted experiences from the preparation of the first BTRs, explored approaches to monitoring, evaluation, learning and finance tracking, and provided guidance to enhance national reporting systems in line with the Global Goal on Adaptation.
Held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 14 July to 1 August 2025, the UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT programme trained 31 participants from 28 countries. Co-organized with the Greenhouse Gas Inventory & Research Center of Korea and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement, the three-week training combined lectures, hands-on exercises, and peer exchange on compiling national GHG inventories, applying sectoral methodologies, and developing emission projections.
Held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 5-8 August 2025, the ETF Blended Training convened 32 participants from 17 African countries. Co-organized by UN Climate Change, the United Nations System Staff College, the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency, and the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, the four-day workshop combined presentations, interactive group work and peer exchange to build skills in implementing the ETF. The training emphasized the importance of aligning BTRs with national climate plans (NDCs), designing robust national transparency frameworks, and enhancing stakeholder engagement – equipping participants with practical tools to strengthen the reporting and review processes under the Paris Agreement.
Adaptation Academy in Asia and the Pacific
Held in Jeju, Republic of Korea, from 25-29 August 2025, the CASTT Adaptation Academy in Asia and the Pacific trained 26 participants from 14 countries across the region. Participants strengthened skills in adaptation reporting, drew lessons from the first BTRs – identifying best practices and challenges – and explored ways to develop effective and sustainable adaptation reporting frameworks.
Organized with partners including the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Environment Institute – Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change, the UNITAR International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders in South Korea, the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, and the Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific, the programme combined lectures, peer exchange sessions and country clinics.
Looking Ahead
As developing countries advance their ETF implementation, the need for high-quality transparency training remains critical. CASTT will continue to foster climate ambition through capacity building and international collaboration.
