Strengthening Greenhouse Gas MRV Systems in Colombia | Global Climate Change

The Government of Colombia has prioritized this effort, and USAID's Resources to Advance LEDS Implementation (RALI) project has supported these efforts by working with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorological and Environmental Studies over a 20-month engagement. To support the harmonization of Colombia's greenhouse gas accounting, RALI conducted an analysis of the methodological, data, and institutional processes used for conducting project-level MRV and for developing the national greenhouse gas inventory. This analysis aimed to understand the current state of greenhouse gas accounting in Colombia. RALI developed the Greenhouse Gas MRV Harmonization Framework, a framework designed to help practitioners ensure emission reductions are reflected in national greenhouse gas emission estimates. The RALI team used this framework in Colombia to analyze and harmonize the greenhouse gas MRV associated with Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in the livestock sector and with increasing renewable energy in the energy matrix. Through this effort, RALI identified gaps and presented tangible recommendations for aligning the national greenhouse gas inventory with mitigation data and methodologies. The team also developed guidance on applying the GHG MRV Harmonization Framework to other mitigation activities, which will serve as a reference for the Ministry and the Institute moving forward. Concurrently, RALI's technical team worked closely with stakeholders in Colombia to address the Government of Colombia's need for a data management system that centralizes, institutionalizes, and archives greenhouse gas data for the national inventory. The RALI team wrote and prototyped a data management platform for the national inventory, known as the Sistema Nacional de Inventarios de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (SINGEI). This platform will support improved centralization and archiving of greenhouse gas inventory accounting data. SINGEI is designed to integrate with Colombia's existing IT infrastructure and business practices, reducing risks to adoption. Stakeholder engagement was a key component of RALI's collaboration with the Government of Colombia. RALI worked with a range of stakeholders and development partners in Colombia to understand the current state of MRV for mitigation and review data for the two mitigation activities. Continuous consultation with the Institute's IT team, their Global team, consultants, the Ministry, and other entities that submit inventory activity data was crucial throughout the development of the SINGEI platform. This collaboration between RALI and the Government of Colombia has provided Colombia with the tools needed to strengthen its MRV systems, while also providing a model for future engagement between countries and partners looking to harmonize national inventory and MRV systems. The Government of Colombia will continue to apply the MRV Harmonization Approach for additional sectors in future efforts. The RALI GHG MRV Harmonization Framework is a framework designed to help practitioners ensure emission reductions are reflected in national greenhouse gas emission estimates. This framework was developed by RALI to support the harmonization of Colombia's greenhouse gas accounting. The framework is a first-of-its-kind tool designed to guide practitioners in ensuring that emission reductions are accurately reflected in national greenhouse gas emission estimates. The RALI team worked closely with stakeholders in Colombia to develop the SINGEI platform, a data management system designed to centralize, institutionalize, and archive greenhouse gas data for the national inventory. This platform will support improved centralization and archiving of greenhouse gas inventory accounting data. SINGEI is designed to integrate with Colombia's existing IT infrastructure and business practices, reducing risks to adoption.