CGE Workshop to exchange views on possible elements to be considered in a future revision of the UNFCCC Guidelines

1. CGE SURVEY RESULTS ON DIFFICULTIES, CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY NON-ANNEX I PARTIES IN USING THE GUIDELINES IN THE PREPARATION OF THEIR MOST RECENT NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CGE Workshop to exchange views on possible elements to be considered in a future revision of the UNFCCC Guidelines St Mary’s, Antigua and Barbuda, 21. March 2011 Uazamo Kaura, Programme Officer Firstname Lastname, Job Title UNFCCC secretariat, Financial and Technical Support Programme

2. Presentation Outline PRESENTATION OUTLINE Introduction • Survey Design • Analysis of the Results • Respondents • Responses to survey • Background information of the respondents • Clarity of UNFCCC Guidelines • National Circumstances • GHG Inventory • Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments • Mitigation • Other relevant information • User Manual • Conclusion

3. Introduction • INTRODUCTION • In response to decision 5/CP.15, paragraphs (a-c) of the its terms of reference, the CGE agreed at its first meeting on 29 to 31 March 2010, to collect information on: • Difficulties, challenges, technical problems, and constraints faced by non-Annex Parties in preparing their national communications, in using the UNFCCC guidelines for the preparation of national communications from non-Annex Parties (Paragraph 2(a) and 2(b)); • Sustaining the national communication process and maintaining national technical teams (Paragraph 2(c)). • Presentation on the results of Survey 1:Identification of Technical Problems and constraints affecting non-Annex I Parties in the Process of Preparation of their National Communications and Assessment of Capacity-Building Needs – Part 3: Usability and Clarity of UNFCCC Guidelines (Responding to Paragraph 2(b) - challenges encountered in using the Guidelines)

4. Survey Design • SURVEY • SURVEY DESIGN • The survey contained three parts: • Part 1:Background Information; • Part 2:Technical Concerns and Solutions divided into separate sets of questions for each of the sections of the national communication; • In terms of questions, the respondent was requested to assess the level of technical difficulty/ease experienced in completing each section of, or task related to, the national communication (i.e. whether it was “not at all difficult”, “slightly difficult”, “moderately difficult”, “very difficult”, or “extremely difficult”) • Part 3:Usability and Clarity of the UNFCCC guidelines: asks the respondent his/her opinion on the difficulties, challenges and encountered in using the UNFCCC guidelines when preparing the national communication.

5. Analysis of the Results - Respondents RESPONDENTS RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY Feedback given from national experts, national focal points and NC project coordinators. 58 countries have responded to Survey 1 (as of 22 December 2010)

6. Analysis of the Results - Respondents RESPONDENTS BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE RESPONDENTS Fig. 2 Current process of preparing national communication Fig. 1 Involvement in the preparation of national communication

7. Analysis of the Results – Clarity of UNFCCC Guidelines CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES OVERALL RESULTS Results for usability and clarity of using and understanding each section of the Guidelines

8. Analysis of the Results – Clarity of UNFCCC Guidelines The biggest challenge for the “moderately difficult” category for usability and clarity in understanding each section of the Guideline was other relevant information to the objectives of the Convention at 29.0%, followed by mitigation (27%), V&A(26%), and national GHG inventory (22%). CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES OVERALL RESULTS Fig. 1: Usability and clarity of using and understanding each section of the Guidelines

9. Analysis of the Results – National Circumstances • CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES • NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES • KEY CHALLENGES • Guidelines were not clear from the onset as there is variation between countries; • Guidelines not helpful with suggested length or level of detail of the content countries should report on; • Guidelines lack recommendations for formatting, organizing and/or presenting the information. • . RECOMMENDATIONS • Format should use more graphics (flow charts/matrix in providing information on steps and what to include; • A greater level of detail would be useful as countries needed to seek clarification with the NCSP on certain issues and in some instances refer to other material for guidance.

10. Analysis of the Results – Greenhouse (GHG) Inventory • CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES • GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) INVENTORY • KEY CHALLENGES • Guidelines are not specific and the length and level of detail of content is not clear; • Differences in national sector categorization and the Guidelines, as not all information is available at national level; • Complicated for small emitters, who do not cover all the sectors provided in the Guidelines; • For the Portuguese speaking countries it is not easy to understand all the Guidelines chapters and sections and the software for the GHG Inventory. • . RECOMMENDATIONS • Recommended formats to include summary tables for all the key features and more graphics

11. Analysis of the Results – Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments • CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES • VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION ASSESSMENTS • KEY CHALLENGES • Guidelines are clear on "what" to report and the options available to the party, not adequate on "how" to prepare reports especially for the technical aspects of V&A assessments. RECOMMENDATIONS • Instructions must be made more specific on what information to present in this section; • Methodologies/approaches need to be modified to suit national circumstances; • Need to update the list of reference material on methodological approaches, tools, and methods, as well as for baseline climate change and socio-economic scenarios; • Provide practical information regarding methodologies and models for analyzing vulnerability i.e more of the information needed then footnotes; • Guidelines should include how to structure the communication and suggest “minimum”, “standard” and “advanced” categories of information that countries could/should be presenting to allow for more comparability between the communications.

12. Analysis of the Results – Mitigation • CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES • MITIGATION • KEY CHALLENGES • Vague without much direction for analysis regarding methodological approaches for prioritizing mitigation options; • The guidelines are clear on "what" to report and the options available to the party, however it is not adequate on the "how" to actually prepare reports especially for the technical aspects of mitigation assessments. • . RECOMMENDATIONS • Updating list of reference materials on methodological approaches, tools models and methods for baseline and mitigation scenarios development.

13. Analysis of the Results – Other relevant information • CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES • OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION • KEY CHALLENGES • The guidelines are clear on "what" to report and the options available to the party, however it is not adequate on the "how" to actually prepare reports especially for the technical aspects of actually conducting the needs assessment for technology.. RECOMMENDATIONS • Format will be easier to use if there were more details about the extent and organization of information in this section; • Financing and gaps an overarching, extensive topic that it would be helpful if the guidelines were more specific as to how to present information

14. Analysis of the Results –User Manual CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES USER MANUAL Fig. 4: Use if the UNFCCC user manual

15. Analysis of the Results – User Manual CHALLENGES There are too many user manuals and the technical levels requires too much training; Very incomplete and not user friendly; Need to have more best practices developed and tested; The manual provide broad guidelines and content but specific level information is lacking. RECOMMENDATIONS Further guidance on modelling and assessing socio-economic impacts needed; Provide illustrations and best practices; Should be modified as countries prepare their 3NC due to many new developments that needs to be incorporated; Include sections that contain information that "must be included" in the different components of the report so as to capture critical information and give clearer instructions to the parties; Words such as "should or could include" leaves room for the discretion of the Parties which may lead to the omission of vital information; Provide more suggestions for how to present information. CLARITY OF THE UNFCCC GUIDELINES USER MANUAL

16. Conclusion • CONCLUSION • Parties have experienced a number of challenges in the use of the Guidelines • Recommendations from Parties may be considered as an input on the possible elements that may be considered in the future revision of the Guidelines for preparation of national communications from non-Annex Parties.