BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 18. The United States will fulfill its reporting obligations under the Paris Agreement by the end of this year, said Sue Biniaz, the US State Department's Principal Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, Trend reports.
Speaking at the COP29 ministerial roundtable on global climate transparency, Biniaz emphasized the importance of transparency in climate efforts.
"Transparency is the foundation of climate action, as it allows us to assess both individual and collective progress, identify areas requiring additional action, and ensure accountability for all countries. It not only helps us understand where we stand but also drives targeted actions to achieve climate goals," she said.
The Envoy also highlighted the significance of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement, which provides a universal approach for all countries in reporting their climate actions and monitoring progress on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
"Without reliable systems to measure and track progress, NDCs could become empty promises. The ETF helps fill that gap by providing standardized and comparable data," she noted.
Biniaz added that the US actively supports developing countries in improving transparency, including assisting with greenhouse gas inventories and report preparation. In 2024, the US is collaborating with 19 countries to provide technical assistance in report preparation and has hosted a series of seminars for 17 African nations.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will run until November 22, opened at the Baku Olympic Stadium on November 11. It is the largest event organized by Azerbaijan to date, and the first time in the region that it is being held in Azerbaijan.
Within COP29, the highest level event - the summit of world leaders on climate action – was held on November 12–13.
The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. The COP29 chairmanship has launched 14 initiatives that include linkages between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals, including green energy corridors, green energy storage, harmony for climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, action on green digital technologies, and other topics.
In addition to being a top priority that creates the conditions for action, creating climate finance will also help fulfill the 1.5°C pledge by bringing everyone together.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for “Conference of Parties” and is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.
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