COP29: Baku launches platform to support countries in preparing biennial transparency reports

Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev has stated that Baku took the initiative within COP29 to launch a platform to support countries in preparing biennial transparency reports (BTR).

“We realise that many countries face difficulties in preparing and submitting their BTRs. This is why the COP29 presidency has launched the Baku Global Climate Transparency Platform. The platform mobilises targeted capacity building and supports developing countries in preparing their reports,” Babayev said on November 18 at the Ministerial Roundtable on Global Climate Transparency, Caliber.Az reports.

The minister said the platform collaborates with existing transparency platforms to ensure coherence and enhance the effectiveness of our collective efforts.

In addition, the platform brings together stakeholders from all sectors of society to collaborate.

“The Baku Transparency Platform endeavours to promote universal participation in an improved transparency system,” Babayev added.

Notably, the UNFCCC Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) are part of the Paris Agreement's Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), designed to improve transparency, accountability, and trust among nations in their climate actions.

BTR include information on national inventory reports (NIR), progress towards NDCs, policies and measures, climate change impacts and adaptation, levels of financial, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support, capacity-building needs and areas of improvement. 

Parties to the Paris Agreement shall submit their first BTR and National Inventory Report (NIR), if submitted as a stand-alone report, in line with the modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs), at the latest by 31 December 2024. The least developed country Parties (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS) may submit the information referred to in Article 13, paragraphs 7, 8, 9 and 10, of the Paris Agreement at their discretion. Once submitted, the BTR will undergo a technical expert review process. A facilitative, multilateral consideration of progress will also be conducted for each Party.

By Khagan Isayev