Keeping Track

The document outlines the complexities of establishing an accountability system for climate commitments under the UNFCCC, specifically focusing on the 'MRV' (measurement, reporting, and verification) challenge. It identifies key negotiation priorities, including the verification of supported and unsupported actions, the governance of an international registry for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), and the role of national climate action plans. The author recommends that parties adopt a graduated approach to MRV requirements based on action type and cost, leverage existing domestic reporting systems, and define the characteristics of acceptable NAMAs to allow for national innovation while maintaining environmental integrity.

• The document identifies four critical areas for upcoming negotiations: the verification process for supported and unilateral actions, the governance of an international registry for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and support, the principles governing the delivery of finance to ensure it is predictable and adequate, and the modalities of national climate action plans.
• To improve the MRV process, the paper recommends implementing a gradation of requirements based on the type of action and the cost or ease of verification, and suggests that reporting structures should be built upon existing domestic systems.
• The author argues that the UNFCCC should define the characteristics of acceptable NAMAs—such as timeframe, cost, and mitigation benefits—rather than listing specific types of actions, to encourage innovative and nationally specific approaches.
• An effective accountability system for greenhouse gas emissions must simultaneously build trust among governments, enable the evaluation of mitigation efforts, and recognize that countries require varied, nationally specific actions to achieve a low-carbon pathway.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Keeping Track. https://www.wri.org/research/keeping-track

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Keeping Track. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/keeping-track.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Keeping Track |url=https://www.wri.org/research/keeping-track |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendkeeping, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Keeping Track}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/keeping-track}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }