Adaptation in Biennial Transparency Reports: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The document outlines the requirements and opportunities for Parties to the Paris Agreement to report on climate change impacts and adaptation through Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). While the adaptation chapter (A-BTR) is generally optional, it is required if the BTR is submitted jointly with a National Communication (NC) or serves as an Adaptation Communication (AdCom). The briefing emphasizes that countries can reduce reporting burdens by cross-referencing existing documents, such as NAPs, and using the A-BTR to provide data for the Global Stocktake's assessment of the Global Goal on Adaptation.

• The Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) is the primary reporting vehicle for the Paris Agreement's Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), designed to build mutual trust and confidence through the transparent sharing of climate action information.
• Most countries must submit their first BTR (BTR1) by December 31, 2024, and every two years thereafter, though small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) may submit them at their discretion due to capacity constraints.
• Including a chapter on climate change impacts and adaptation (A-BTR) is optional for most BTR submissions, but becomes mandatory if the BTR is submitted jointly with a National Communication (NC) or is used as the vehicle for an Adaptation Communication (AdCom).
• The A-BTR serves as a critical information source for the Global Stocktake (GST) to assess collective progress toward the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and helps countries identify data gaps to strengthen national monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems.
• To avoid duplication of effort and reduce reporting burdens, countries are permitted to cross-reference previously reported information from NAPs, AdComs, and NCs within their A-BTR.
• National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes provide substantial overlapping data for A-BTR sections, including national circumstances, institutional arrangements, risk and vulnerability assessments, and adaptation priorities.
• While most BTR chapters undergo a Technical Expert Review (TER), the adaptation chapter is not subject to the mandatory TER; instead, Parties may request a voluntary review of the A-BTR to identify capacity-building needs and improvements.

APA

Qi, J., & Beauchamp, E. (2023). Adaptation in Biennial Transparency Reports: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-faq-adaptation-biennial-transparency-reports.pdf

Chicago

Qi, Jeffrey, and Emilie Beauchamp. Adaptation in Biennial Transparency Reports: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). NAP Global Network, 2023. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-faq-adaptation-biennial-transparency-reports.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Qi |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Beauchamp |first2=Emilie |title=Adaptation in Biennial Transparency Reports: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=September 2023 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-faq-adaptation-biennial-transparency-reports.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{qi2023adaptation, author = {Qi, Jeffrey and Beauchamp, Emilie}, title = {{Adaptation in Biennial Transparency Reports: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/napgn-en-2023-faq-adaptation-biennial-transparency-reports.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }