Events

The 5th Workshop of the Lusophone Cluster was held in São Tomé, the capital of São Tomé and Príncipe, from March 27-30, 2023. Government representatives from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste came together to reaffirm their commitment to combating the climate crisis, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change. The main topic of the 5th Workshop was Transparency and Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of Climate Support Received and Needed. The representatives also stressed the importance of transparency and cooperation among the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries in achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

To achieve these goals, Countries’ representatives issued and signed the São Tomé declaration supported by the approval of the Lusophone Cluster 2023-2024 Work Plan which proposes the following concrete steps to help strengthen national institutions and enhance transparency in climate financing among the Lusophone countries:

Strengthen the role of the Lusophone Cluster as Lusophone Climate Finance Transparency Hub:

The Lusophone Cluster will play the role of a centralized platform to facilitate the sharing of information, knowledge, technology, and financial resources among Lusophone countries. The hub will serve as a repository of best practices, guidelines, and tools for climate finance transparency and will enable countries to learn from each other's experiences.

Develop Capacity Building Programs:

Design and implement national and regional capacity building programs for Lusophone countries to enhance their institutional capacity in climate transparency. These programs should include training, workshops, and technical assistance to help countries meet the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement.

Strengthen the Role of National Focal Points:

Ensure that each Lusophone country designated national focal point responsible for coordinating Lusophone Cluster at the national level will have adequate support for the Cluster Coordination to enhance climate transparency efforts. These focal points should be provided with adequate resources and support to enable them to effectively carry out their responsibilities.

Promote Participation in International Transparency Review Teams:

Encourage Lusophone countries to nominate experts to join the United Nations' international review teams, responsible for assessing countries' biennial transparency reports. This will increase the likelihood of having at least one Portuguese-speaking expert in the review process and foster greater knowledge sharing and technical expertise among Lusophone countries.

Foster Cross-Sector Collaboration:

Promote collaboration among various sectors, such as energy, transportation, agriculture, and forestry, to ensure a comprehensive approach to climate transparency. This will enable Lusophone countries to identify opportunities for synergies, reduce duplication of efforts, and increase the effectiveness of their climate actions.

Support a Smooth Transition to the Paris Agreement Transparency Rules:

Provide technical assistance to help Lusophone countries transition from the current reporting system under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to the new Biennial Transparency Reports required under the Paris Agreement.

Enhance Youth Engagement:

Align with São Tomé and Príncipe's CPLP presidency priorities, focusing on sustainability and youth. Encourage youth involvement in climate transparency initiatives, providing them with opportunities to contribute to the development and implementation of climate policies and actions in their respective countries.

Leverage the Climate Helpdesk Mechanism:

Utilize the Climate Helpdesk as an effective, transparent, and Portuguese-language tool to provide support to Lusophone countries in their efforts to enhance climate transparency.

 

In conclusion, the proposed steps aim to foster greater cooperation among Lusophone countries and strengthen their national institutions to enhance climate transparency. During the 5th Workshop the Lusophone Cluster Partners, including the Partnership for Transparency in the Paris Agreement (PATPA) funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Government, the government of Belgium and the United Nations Development Programme – Climate Promise and CBIT-GSP executed by UN Environment agreed to continue to support in implementing these measures. They will be crucial in supporting the establishment of sustainable transparency systems, driving ambitious climate action and helping Lusophone countries achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

In the downloads section, on the upper right side of this page, you can access the final report of the event as well as the signed São Tomé declaration and all presentations made during the event.

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