STATUS OF MRV SYSTEMS IN THE ECOWAS REGION

Transcription

1 STATUS OF MRV SYSTEMS IN THE ECOWAS REGION Document elaborated by Factor November 2016

2 STATUS OF MRV SYSTEMS IN THE ECOWAS REGION Document elaborated by Factor November 2016

3 This publication was reproduced from the best copy submitted by the subcontractor and received no editorial review at NREL. NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof. This report is at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at Available electronically at SciTech Connect Available for a processing fee to U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors, in paper, from: U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information P.O. Box 62 Oak Ridge, TN OSTI Phone: Fax: reports@osti.gov Available for sale to the public, in paper, from: U.S. Department of Commerce National Technical Information Service 5301 Shawnee Road Alexandria, VA NTIS Phone: or Fax: orders@ntis.gov

4 Acronyms AFOLU BURs CESC COP ECOWAS ECOWREX ECREEE EE EEEP EREP GHG GIZ IEA IRENA IT LUCF NAMA INDC NDC MRV NEEAP NREAP NFI PV RE RECP SE4ALL TA UNFCCC WB Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use Biennial Update Reports Clean Energy Solution Centre Conference of Parties Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS Observatory for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Energy Efficiency ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy Greenhouse gases German Cooperation Agency International Energy Agency International Renewable Energy Agency Information Technologies Land Use Change and Forestry Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions Intended Nationally Determined Contributions Nationally Determined Contribution Monitoring, Reporting and Verification National Energy Efficiency Action Plan National Renewable Energy Action Plan National Focal Institution Photovoltaic Renewable Energy Renewable Energy Cooperation Program Sustainable Energy for All Technical assistance United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The World Bank iii

5 Executive Summary A Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) system is a prerequisite for the tracking of a country's progress towards the mitigation objectives set under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Monitoring Reporting and Verification Barriers in the ECOWAS Region The main barriers identified in the ECOWAS countries, related with implementing a comprehensive MRV system, are mainly lack of finance and limited institutional capacities, as well as, the poor quality of data. Type of barrier Barrier Description Classification Financial Limited financial capacities The lack of financial capacities to implement and maintain an MRV system throughout its life time. High priority Clarity in responsibilities A lack of Institutional arrangements with clear mandates, timelines and reporting outlines, as well as policy or regulatory endorsement of the MRV setting. High priority Institutional Communication between institution(s) A lack of communication, among the institutions that may be involved in the implementation of MRV. Medium priority Human and technological resources A lack of local teams and databases. Existing efforts are strongly dependant on external and foreign technical assistance. High priority Information Availability and quality of data The information needs improvement and homogenization in order to provide a common and more accurate approach of the progress made in the countries. Medium priority Publicly Available and Information on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for the ECOWAS Region The desk review conducted on renewable energy and energy efficiency data availability and quality arrived at the following conclusions: Publicly data and information on EE and ER is low in quantity and quality. When existing, usually, data is not up to date and there are no time, only data for certain years are. There is no systematic and continuous effort throughout time to gather and report EE and RE data, but rather stop and go or ad hoc exercises. iv

6 There are almost no national public energy databanks in most countries. When there are national reporting output products, those are not homogeneous. This shows the lack of a centralized data gathering and reporting system. There are several top-down initiatives at regional and global level that gather EE and ER data such as: ECOWREX, IRENA, WB, IEA. In addition, information can be found in several donor driven programmes such as SE4ALL or Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP). There is no uniformity of reported data. For each of the consulted databanks (ECOWREX, IRENA, WB, IEA), different RE and EE indicators are reported, but are not comparable. The sources of data vary from one databank to the other. Each databank (and organization) has its own sources from which they retrieve the data. Each international organization uses their own appointed focal points and agents to gather the data. This results in data discrepancies among databanks. Different methodologies are applied in each databank with unclear estimated s. International Best Practices for Establishing MRV Systems In Africa, Ghana, South Africa and Tunisia are countries with successful experiences in designing and implementing national MRV systems. From the analysis of these three countries, lessons learnt can be identified on setting up the right structures and responsibilities, allocating the needed resources and continuous improvement during implementation. Structure and Responsibilities Develop a central system at the national level, with one clear organizational chart of all involved institutions. Identify the institution responsible for coordination. In particular, to appoint a manager responsible for the national MRV system in each country. Develop agreements and/or working arrangements between the participating institutions in the MRV system, clearly assigning responsibilities, deadlines and budgets. To establish general guidelines, addressing the monitoring, reporting and verification of GHG, mitigation actions and financial support. Resources Allocate financial resources for the implementation and operation of the MRV system and ensure availability of long-term funds. Allocate enough personnel, with clear roles and responsibilities, and train them regularly. Setting up information and communication (IT) tools. Creation of online integrated systems for monitoring and reporting. Implementation of the MRV system Consider the elaboration of National Communications (every four years) as continuous on-going activities and not as isolated projects. Exploit the possible experience of the private sector in the development of MRV systems. Increase the quality of information through periodic reviews of the MRV system and plan a system for continuous improvement. Promote the exchange of information and experiences among countries in the same region. v

7 Table of Contents 1 General Overview of the Project ECOWAS Region Brief Overview Situation Analysis of the Current State of MRV Systems in the ECOWAS Region Status of MRV systems in ECOWAS Member States Results of consultation process with ECOWAS Member States Conclusions on the status of MRV systems ECOWAS Member States Conclusions on the RE and EE public data desk review... 7 Overall... 8 Bottom-up... 8 Top-down Case studies: best practices International good practice cases for the implementation of an MRV System Conclusions on Best Practices Conclusions Annex 1. Status of energy targets in the ECOWAS region Annex 2. Status of energy-related public reporting in ECOWAS Member States Publicly energy-related data in the ECOWAS Member Countries Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Ivory Coast Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissaou Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Conclusions on the RE and EE Public Desk Review Overall Bottom-up Top-down Annex 3. Result of the Survey by Country Bibliography List of Figures Figure 1. Member countries of the ECOWAS region... 2 Figure 2. Types of measurement, reporting and verification of mitigation... 3 Figure 4. RE and EE policies in place for the ECOWAS region vi

8 List of Tables Table 1. Identification of Barriers in the ECOWAS Region... 5 Table 2. Classification of Barriers in the ECOWAS Region... 7 Table 3. General Recommendations Table 4. EREP Targets and Goals in the ECOWAS Region Table 6. EEP Targets in the ECOWAS Region vii

9 1 General Overview of the Project The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) was established to create favourable framework conditions for regional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE&EE) markets, by supporting activities directed to mitigate existing technology, financial, economic, business, legal, policy, institutional, knowledge and capacity related barriers. ECREEE works in 15 West African countries that make up the Economic Community of West African States (hereinafter, ECOWAS) sub-region. ECREEE has launched a programme to advance low carbon development in the ECOWAS region through the implementation of Renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Through this programme ECREEE requested the Clean Energy Solution Center (CESC) of the National renewable energy laboratory (NREL) for technical assistance (TA) to undertake a study on the status of monitoring, reporting and verification practices (MRV) in the ECOWAS region, a key policy component for which the CESC is tasked to deliver in the broad spectrum of clean energy policies. The purpose of the assignment was to determine the current state of MRV in the ECOWAS region to be able identify needs for future support by ECREEE. This is because ECREEE foresees that Countries need reliable and consistent information on greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and actions as well as support for climate change mitigation to be effective in overall mitigation efforts. An MRV system should therefore be designed suitable for its national implementation, also considering international methodologies and guidelines in terms of data management, development of GHG inventories and institutional aspects, among others. A robust MRV system is also a prerequisite for the tracking of country's progress towards the mitigation objectives set under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). However, adequate MRV processes and systems are yet to be developed in many ECOWAS countries and this is considered a major gap that needs to be filled to ensure that countries contribute to achieving the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) led global agreement of limiting global atmospheric temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius. 1

10 2 ECOWAS Region Brief Overview The ECOWAS is a regional group of 15 countries which aims to promote the integration of economic activities in sectors such as energy, industry, transport, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, among many others. With an expanding population of over million people, ECOWAS Member States represent about one third of the sub-saharan Africa s total population (African Economic Outlook 2016). As the world accelerates towards a low carbon economy, the region is especially facing the urge to achieve universal access to electricity. In this regard, West Africa s economies already are, and will inevitably be, even more confronted with the effects of climate change in the coming decades. Given the region s vulnerability and unachieved universal access to modern energy, the urgent need for reliable, sustainable and affordable energy poses a dilemma for policymakers. Figure 1. Member countries of the ECOWAS region ECOWAS countries have made ambitious pledges in terms of renewable and energy efficiency. ECREEE has taken a pioneering role in the development of a regional sustainable energy framework in West African region, to provide guidance and support the Member States for the adoption and creation of renewable energy and energy efficiency markets. Annex 1 summarises the status of renewable end energy efficiency targets in the ECOWAS region. Situation Analysis of the Current State of MRV Systems in the ECOWAS Region The MRV related to mitigation of climate change took appearance in 2007 as part of the Bali Action Plan. The 2012, Conference of Parties (COP 17) decided on the submission of the first Biennial Updated Report (BURs) from non-annex I Parties, consistent with their capabilities and the level of 2

11 support provided for reporting. Afterward, efforts were made to describe what should be measured, reported and verified, how, by whom, and for what purpose. During COP21 in Paris, the UNFCCC launched a robust accountability and transparency framework to support developing countries to implement the goals and measures set in their NDCs. Furthermore, this framework is expected to help track the progress of implementation of the agreement and ensure trust among parties. Based on this international agreement, it is expected that ECOWAS countries will need to have robust MRV systems in place by 2020 to measure and report their 2020 and 2030 targets.an MRV system is therefore essential to successfully implementing the National Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement, which defines countries mitigation goals and policies. There are three types of MRV systems: (1) MRV of GHG emissions, (2) MRV of mitigation actions, and (3) MRV of financial support. All three underpin a robust national MRV system. Outside of the UNFCCC process, MRV systems also provide essential benefits to countries in terms of identifying national priorities as well as challenges and opportunities, policy planning and prioritization, developing national data systems and much more. Figure 2. Types of measurement, reporting and verification of mitigation : World Resources Institute Out of the 15 countries, only Ghana can be considered as a success case in the implementation of a reliable MRV system (refer to Section 3. Case studies). In fact, MRV systems in the ECOWAS region are still enduring some important gaps that need to be urgently filled as part of the climate change response by ECOWAS Member States, as many countries are yet to move from ad hoc systems to established sustainable long term systems of reporting. Therefore, in line with the above, in order to provide technical expertise in the diagnose of the current state of data gathering and reporting of RE and EE measures in the ECOWAS region, this study specifically focuses on energy-related MRV processes as most of the current efforts of countries in implementing clean energy and EE measures have not been adequately measured, nor reported or verified, even though they contribute to GHG emission reduction/abatement. 3

12 This report has been structured as follows: Section 2 presents the result of a consultation process with ECOWAS Member States on present status of MRV activities in their country. In line with the above, an overview of international experience and some best practices and lessons learned in the area regarding MRV system is being presented in Section 3. Section 4 concludes with a summary of the findings and recommendations for improving energy related MRV systems in the ECOWAS. 4

13 3 Status of MRV systems in ECOWAS Member States Results of consultation process with ECOWAS Member States In order to proceed with the assessment and diagnosis of the current state of the MRV systems and to provide some best-practice recommendations, it is imperative to get an in-depth view of the current challenges faced by countries in MRV system setup. This section is based on results from two surveys. Firstly, from end of July to mid-october, ECREEE and Factor conducted a survey based in a questionnaire with two blocks of questions, one on general status and barriers for MRV systems and a second one on specific challenges faced within the energy sector. The survey was sent to UNFCCC and ECREEE National Focal Institutions (NFI), in all ECOWAS countries. Out of 15 countries, 40% (i.e. 6 out of 15) provided feedback regarding the status of MRV systems in their respective countries. The results achieved were compared and completed with the survey made by the German Federal Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on MRV within the Cluster Francophone, early this year. It is important to note that despite the follow-up processes undertaken, the response rate achieved from countries and governmental authorities was low due to different reasons. Some are listed below: Limited time to implement the survey; lack of information; lack of clarity in responsibility for responding and exchanging of information; Nevertheless, based on the analysis and results obtained from the surveys, and despite the low response rate achieved, some important barriers to the implementation of robust MRV systems have been identified and are expressed here below. Table 1. Identification of Barriers in the ECOWAS Region : Survey analysis Barrier 1 Background Phase of MRV system affected Limited financial capacities Economic resources are, in most cases, a restriction for the establishment of a proper MRV system. It occurs due to the need of strengthening capacity of the team, as well as the possible need for new material resources. All the stages of the system MRV are affected by this barrier, especially monitoring and reporting stages. Barrier 2 Background Phase of MRV system affected Human and technological resources Rotation of human resources and difficulty of maintaining knowledge and lessons learned in the institutional teams. Mainly in the stages of data gathering, development of analysis and calculations and reporting. 5

14 Barrier 3 Background Phase of MRV system affected Clarity in responsibilities High complexity and amount of information and processes to be developed in order to achieve a robust MRV system. This applies to every stage of the MRV process: collection and treatment of data, development of calculations and analysis of the results. Barrier 4 Background Phase of MRV system affected Availability and quality of data is a key variable for a good implementation of a MRV system. Measuring and processing data are critical aspects when obtaining reliable results. A very important aspect is that all data considered in the MRV system have traceability and can be reviewed in the present and future, this means that, measures and sources of information used in each case need be localized and archived. Stage of monitoring, focused on generating and collecting information, as well as in the processes of control and data quality. Barrier 5 Background Phase of MRV system affected Communication between institution(s) Derived from the above-mentioned aspects, it is important to strengthen the channels of communication between the institutions involved in monitoring energy data. This is particularly important when there is the aim to build a regional approach. All stages of the MRV system would be affected by this barrier (collecting information, data processing, quality controls, reporting and verification). Conclusions on the status of MRV systems ECOWAS Member States Based on the analysis of the responses of the survey and the barriers identified, the MRV challenges in the region have been classified according to the level of needed action in the member countries as a starting point to implement a robust and successful MRV system in each and every Member Country. The results from the analysis are highly in line with the international methodologies and the classification of barriers by type of needs 1 : (i) financial, (ii) institutional and (iii) information. However, special emphasis has to be made on the barriers classified as high priority in the ECOWAS region based on the previous analysis from the surveys, namely: lack of financial capacities lack of clarity in responsibilities 1 For more information, please visit 6

15 and lack of human resources On the other part, some obstacles in terms of quality and control of information have been also detected, as well as some lack of communication and information flow between the different institutions that must be overcome in order to facilitate the monitoring and correct reporting of mitigation actions in general and RE and EE in particular. In addition, it must be taken into consideration that any effort at establishing a MRV system for EE and ER in the ECOWAS has the goal to monitor the achievement towards the energy sector NDC targets, which means that this MRV has to be established as a component of a wider MRV system, that will allow countries to report accordingly within the UNFCCC agreements. In the Annex 2 the status of energy-related public reporting in ECOWAS Member States is presented and faced against their declared targets for RE and EE in their NDC. The following table further analyses the barriers identified and provides a general assessment of the barriers in the ECOWAS region. Nevertheless, a robust and sustainable MRV system for the ECOWAS region can only be established if all the barriers are addressed in a comprehensive way. Annex 3 presents the result of the survey per country. Table 2. Classification of Barriers in the ECOWAS Region Type of barrier Barrier Description Classification Financial Limited financial capacities The lack of financial capacities to implement and maintain an MRV system throughout its life time. High priority Clarity in responsibilities A lack of Institutional arrangements with clear mandates, timelines and reporting outlines, as well as policy or regulatory endorsement of the MRV setting. High priority Institutional Communication between institution(s) A lack of communication, among the institutions that may be involved in the implementation of MRV. Medium priority Human and technological resources A lack local teams and databases. Existing efforts are strongly dependant of external technical assistance. High priority Information Availability and quality of data The information needs improvement and homogenization in order to provide a common and more accurate approach of the progress made in the countries. Medium priority Conclusions on the RE and EE public data desk review A desk review has been performed analysing publicly data of ECOWAS Member States regarding RE and EE (Annex 2). The following conclusions were found: 7

16 Overall Bottom-up Top-down It can be said that publicly data and information on EE and ER is low in quantity and quality. There are many data gaps and when existing, usually, data is not up to date and there are no time. Only data for certain years are. According to specific studies developed during previous years, in many cases there is no systematic and continuous effort throughout time to gather and report EE and RE data, but rather stop and go exercises. There are almost no national public energy databanks in most countries (with the exception of a few countries). When there are national reporting output products, those are not homogeneous. This shows the lack of a centralized data gathering and reporting system in each country. There are several top-down initiatives at regional and global level that gathers EE and ER data such as: ECOWREX, IRENA, WB, IEA. In addition, information can be found in several donor programmes such as SE4ALL or Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP). There is no uniformity of reported data. For each of the consulted databanks (ECOWREX, IRENA, WB, IEA), different RE and EE indicators are reported, but are not comparable. For instance, IRENA has the indicator RE electricity generation, which includes all renewable sources, while the WB s indicator of RE electricity production excludes the production from hydroelectric plants. This heterogeneity of EE and RE indicators is probably increasing the complexity of the data gathering and reporting process. The sources of data vary from one databank to another. Each databank (and organization) has its own sources from which they retrieve the data. Therefore, there is no clear centralized authority in the ECOWAS Member States responsible for reporting the EE and RE data. Instead, each international organization has their own appointed focal points and agents to gather the data. This results in data discrepancies among databanks. Different methodologies are applied in each databank with unclear estimated s. 8

17 4 Case studies: best practices MRV systems have been developed in the last decade as a very important part of mitigation projects, mainly because "you can only manage what you can measure." A of success factors for the implementation of a general MRV system based on international best practices is described below: Understand the objective and approach of the MRV system. Suitable information and communication processes. Institutional arrangements with clear definition of the roles and responsibilities. Valuable legal arrangements. Quality in monitoring and reliability of the information with transparent access (avoid double counting). Analysis of best MRV existing practices in accordance with national requirements Conduct of reviews and continuous improvement of the MRV system. MRV system integrity: ensuring comparability, consistency, accuracy, transparency and completeness of information in order to identify best practices, strengthen the learning process and allow an international reference with other countries. Predictability in financial support subject to the MRV system. International good practice cases for the implementation of an MRV System A of good practice cases is presented below, which include the implementation phases of an MRV system within the energy sector, among others. For all of the following cases, a brief description of the project and clarification on why they are considered success implementations is developed, concluding with the lessons learned from their implementation. Projects carried out in Africa have been prioritized over other international regions, as they are considered more representative for the present study. 9

18 Case 1 An Integrated MRV System in South Africa 2 Name of the case study Development of integrated MRV system for comprehensive climate action in South Africa Sectors involved Energy, Industrial Processes, AFOLU, Waste Description South Africa owns a wide experience in the development of a comprehensive MRV system that is integrated into national monitoring and evaluation processes, aligned with the global MRV standards. The monitoring encompasses the whole of MRV process, and the evaluation component provides continuous improvements and modifications to the system. This system includes M&E of all atmospheric emissions through a website called the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory System (NAEIS). This integration aims at enabling local governments to monitor the progress on the transition towards the adaptation and mitigation of climate change. The system will also help to update the National Climate Change Response base (NCCRD), developed in 2009, and formalize key data reporting mechanisms through participatory technical working groups. In conclusion, the system establishes the regular tracking of GHG emissions across a wide range of sectors and is in line with the international requirements. Why is it good practice Success factors All relevant sectors included. Regulatory framework. Based on internationally recognized methodologies. Transparency of processes and data collection. Yearly regular monitoring and reporting. Integrated step-by-step approach. Mitigation policies are evaluated. Integrated cooperation and background research. Lessons learned Including international MRV requirements in the national strategies and governance structures can facilitate the design of the MRV system. Policy direction required for the various institutions involved in an MRV system, as it was not yet clearly defined, in order to promote linking of data sources and with the objective of avoiding double counting. Strong efforts regarding Knowledge based cooperation play an important role for capacity building and policy development. 2 For more information, please visit 10

19 Case 2 Collaborating to Align, Information and Mitigation Actions in Tunisia 3 Name of the case study Coordination between sectors and stakeholders in the development of a national GHG inventory, MRV and NAMAs Sectors involved Energy, Industry, Agriculture, Waste Description Tunisia s economic growth is highly linked to the use of fossil fuels, which in recent decades has led to a marked increase in GHG emissions. In order to fight against climate change, the country has developed strategies, plans and activities in order to promote renewable energy and climate protection while improving the economic and social situation of Tunisians, based on the modernization of industry, the creation of jobs and the design of international climate change mitigation efforts, among others. This particular case offers a good example of the development of well-linked climate change strategy, NAMAs and supporting MRV arrangements in Tunisia. In particular, the project presents high efforts to collaborate across sectors and government ministries to share data and develop effective use of information to support national inventory, NAMA development and MRV. Why is it good practice Success factors A wide coordination in terms of data sharing and dialogue through the working group has ensured reliable data and has improved the measurability and monitoring of reduction actions. It builds on a long-term vision developed and connected by the Solar Plan, the national constitution and the National Climate Change Strategy. Development of an MRV framework while strengthening the national GHG inventory and designing MRV specific to each mitigation action. Coordination across different ministries and sectors. Participatory approach. Connection between energy and climate issues. Extensive knowledge of every sector involved. Lessons learned Strong efforts regarding Knowledge based cooperation play an important role for capacity building and motivate the engagement of the stakeholders. Promoting participation between stakeholders to build confidence, understanding and enable joint working and data sharing. Extensive collaboration between sectors, ministries and research institutes is extremely important in order to define actions and prioritizations. 3 For more information, please visit 11

20 Case 3 Ghana s Ambitious Climate Reporting Programme 4 Name of the case study Sectors involved Development of an ambitious reporting system on climate change: an integrated system for continuous data generation on greenhouse gas inventories (GHGI), mitigation actions and support Energy, Industrial Processes, LUCF and Waste Description The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Ghana Climate Ambitious Reporting Program following the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC decision to enhance climate reporting. The Program aims to facilitate the setting up of an integrated climate data management system that meets both national and international reporting standards as well as track national policies implementation. There are four functional components of the Program, which includes: Setting up of a revised institutional arrangement. Operationalizing the collaborative mechanisms (MOUs) that underpin activities of the institutions. Setting up an online climate change data hub. Continuous training and capacity development of new and existing teams. The System shall serve as a good example of a comprehensive and well-integrated system into institutional structures and processes. Why is it good practice Success factors The scope of this integrated system covers the GHG inventory, UNFCCC reporting requirements and national policies. New institutional arrangement establishes strong relationships with institutions responsible for the GHG inventories. The newly developed integrated online climate change data hub will serve as a central database. Strengthened the coordination of pre-existing national and international reporting mechanisms. Lessons learned Establishment of the Online Climate Change Hub for all climate change related data and activities. Integration of the national preparation of the NATCOMS and BURs into the national structures for the coordination of planning and implementation of climate change activities. Establishment of institutional arrangements with clear mandates, timelines and reporting outlines, data access and management and budgets. The revised institutional arrangement is more coordinated at all levels, with the working groups having been given clear mandates and timelines. This arrangement relies heavily on existing structures and technical expertise of team members and data providers as a basis for broadening the stakeholder base. Creating the Online Climate Change Hub based on the integration of previous data has proved useful in generating new activity data into one central database. 4 For more information, please visit 12

21 Example of development of a MRV tool by IRENA 5 Description The aim of the tool (Excel format) is to collect data on renewable energy production and use. The participating Countries are requested to provide statistics about hydropower, marine energy (tidal, wave, oceanic), wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, bioenergy and other renewable energy, including detailed information about different types of bioenergy. on off-grid electricity generation and capacity can also be reported when. Structure The tool consists in five different tables (Excel sheets): In the first two tables, the production and consumption of energy in the specific country for the last two years should be reported. The other three tables present time for electricity and heat production and electricity generating capacity. If the country has provided data before, it will be shown in the tables in black type. collected by IRENA from other sources (IRENA estimates) are shown in red italics. If the country can provide official data to replace these estimates, it should be developed in order to include more accurate data. 5 For more information, please visit 13

22 Conclusions on Best Practices A table including the main milestones to implement an MRV System in the energy sector is presented below, taking into account the (1) Structure and Responsibilities, (2) Resources, and (3) Implementation. Structure and Responsibilities Table 3. General Recommendations Develop a central system at the national level, with one clear organizational chart of all involved institutions. Identify the institution responsible for coordination. In particular, to appoint a manager responsible for the national MRV system in each country. Develop agreements and/or working arrangements between the participating institutions in the MRV system, clearly assigning responsibilities, deadlines and budgets. To establish general guidelines, addressing the monitoring, reporting and verification of GHG, mitigation actions and financial support. Resources Allocate financial resources for the implementation and operation of the MRV system and ensure availability of long-term funds. Allocate enough personnel, with clear roles and responsibilities, and train them regularly. Setting up information and communication (IT) tools. Creation of online integrated systems for monitoring and reporting. Implementation of the MRV system Consider the elaboration of National Communications (every four years) as continuous on-going activities and not as isolated projects. Exploit the possible experience of the private sector in the development of MRV systems. Increase the quality of information through periodic reviews of the MRV system and plan a system for continuous improvement. Promote the exchange of information and experiences among countries in the same region. 14

23 5 Conclusions During COP21 in Paris, the UNFCCC launched a robust accountability and transparency framework to support developing countries implement the goals and measures set in their NDCs. Based on this international agreement, ECOWAS countries need to have functioning MRV systems in place by 2020 in order to measure and report their 2020 and 2030 targets. Deployment of renewable energies and implementation of energy efficiency measures are among the most relevant National Determined Contributions to mitigate climate change in the ECOWAS region. Publicly data and information on energy efficiency and renewable energies for the ECOWAS countries is low in quantity and quality. There are many data gaps and when existing, usually, data is not up to date and there are not time. In general, existing information from global databases present: (i) no uniformity in the data reported (different indicators); different sources (different focal points in the countries); (iii) Different methodologies for data treatment. It is crucial to shift from the current stop-and-go (based on punctual studies financed by donors) and top-down (global) approach for data gathering and reporting to a continuous on-going bottom-up MRV programme that allows the elaboration of comparable long data time. Barriers identified for establishing a bottom-up approach in the ECOWAS region are related with: (i) limited financial capacities; (ii) clarity in responsibilities; (iii) communication between institution(s); (iv) human and technological resources; (v) availability and quality of data. There is an important need to implement a comprehensive capacity building strategy (financial, institutional, human and technical) on MRV systems for RE and EE targets set in the NDCs of the Member Countries of the ECOWAS region. It is central to anchor the initiative at regional level to guarantee the sustainability of the action, the homogeneity of the monitoring and reporting from each country, the development of a regional reporting and to play the role of single source for existing global initiatives. 15

24 Annex 1. Status of energy targets in the ECOWAS region The ECOWAS region ranks among the lowest in terms of electricity access rates in the world. The region is still constantly confronting the need of universalized modern sources of energy. Furthermore, there is an important disparity regarding energy access in the region. In fact, electricity access varies widely from Niger, for instance, which had a rate of nearly 9% back in 2011, to Cabo Verde which had nearly achieved universal access by then (ECREEE 2014). A political process has been established with the aim of achieving ECOWAS development goals in general, and specific goals for the energy sector, notably for energy security and for energy access. In October 2012, the ECOWAS Energy Ministers expressed their willingness to work towards the achievement of the SE4ALL targets in West Africa. In July 2013, the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government adopts the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP) and charge ECREEE to support the implementation and monitoring of these policies. In 2014/2015 ECOWAS Member States develop National Renewable Plans (NREAPs), National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs) and SE4ALL Action Agendas. Figure 3. RE and EE policies in place for the ECOWAS region : ECREEE 2014 Despite the availability of renewable energy resources in the region, mainly solar, hydro and wind, less than 30% of the population has currently access to electricity (ECREEE 2015b). In contrast with fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are more equitably distributed within the region, providing opportunities for all the ECOWAS countries to benefit from them. For instance, an estimated 23,000 MW of hydroelectric potential is concentrated in 5 of the 15 member countries of which only 16% has been exploited. Also, small hydropower potential in the region amounts to around 6,000 MW. In this regard, there is good potential for all form of bioenergy use in the region. There is also vast solar energy potential with high radiation averages of 5 to 6 kwh/m 2 per year. The region is eager to follow its quest towards the establishment of a favourable environment based on investments in clean, efficient and renewable technologies. In fact, about 60% of the electricity capacity is still based on fossil fuels, and traditional biomass accounts for 80% of the domestic energy needs of the community (ECREEE 2015b). That is why, through the EREP and EEEP, the ECOWAS region has set a clear target to ensure the increase use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and small-scale hydro and bioenergy for grid electricity supply and for access to energy services in the region. In this regard, the share of 16

25 renewable energy in the region s overall electricity mix has been set to 10% in 2020 (35% including large hydro) and 19% in 2030 (48% including large hydro) (ECREEE 2015b). Furthermore, the EREP vision is to secure an increasing and comprehensive share of the Member States energy supplies and services from timely, reliable, sufficient, cost-effective uses of renewable energy sources enabling: Universal access to electricity by 2030; Access to modern energy services by 2020, such as, domestic energy services for cooking. Table 4. EREP Targets and Goals in the ECOWAS Region : ECREEE 2015b Targets set Goals Grid-connected renewable energy applications 35% of RE in the electric mix 10% or MW of RE installed capacity in the region 48% of RE in the electric mix 19% or MW of RE installed capacity in the region Off-grid and stand-alone application Domestic RE application 60,000 installed mini grids 22% rural population access to mini grids or private grids 60% household access to better domestic RE conditions 128,000 installed mini grids 25% rural population access to mini grids or private grids 100% household access to better domestic RE conditions In terms of EE, together with the policies on energy access and renewable energy, the EEEP aims to achieve Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) goals by In this regard, the overall objective of regional policy adopted in 2012 is to double the annual improvement in energy efficiency by 2020, to attain comparable levels worldwide, by especially focusing efforts in improving efficiency in the cooking, lighting, buildings and electricity distribution market segments. Every member country has an energy policy in place either in form of a national policy, a sectorial policy, or an energy strategy. However, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal have a renewable energy policy while only Liberia and Nigeria have an energy efficiency policy. The rest of countries, such as Benin, the Ivory Coast, Guinee and Mali are still working on their comprehensive approach towards RE and EE policies. The specific targets set in order to achieve the before mentioned objective is to implement EE measures that free-up 2000 MW of power generation capacity by 2020 through the set of actions stated in table 2. 17

26 Table 5. EEP Targets in the ECOWAS Region : ECREEE 2015a Targets Set Phase out inefficient incandescent lamps by 2020 Reduction of current electricity losses to less than 10% by 2020 Creation of a technical Committee in ECOWAS for the harmonization of the energy efficiency labels and regulations by 2020 Promote EE in industries in order to achieve reducing the consumption in 20% - 30% by 2030 Develop and adopt region wide efficiency standards for buildings Create instruments for financing sustainable energy, including carbon finance 18

27 Annex 2. Status of energy-related public reporting in ECOWAS Member States Publicly energy-related data in the ECOWAS Member Countries ECOWAS countries have made ambitious pledges in their National Determined Contributions in terms of renewable and energy efficiency. Countries will have to report their progress against these targets. This Annex gathers the targets from the NDCs and the result of a desk review conducted in order to evaluate the existing reporting exercises, as well as, quality and amount of data made regarding RE and EE activities of the ECOWAS Member States that are publicly in various databanks. BENIN Country s RE and EE Goals and Targets RE Targets EE Targets T1. Promote solar PV public lightning in rural and peri-urban roads: solar lamps and torches in households T2. Promote the construction of 40 MW solar power plants T3. Construction of MW hydroelectric dams Unconditional commitments Conditional commitments T1. Electrification of 1,000 villages T2. Promotion of household access to energy efficient lamps 1.2 million lamp T3. Support acquisition by SBEE of 200,000 household wiring kits T4. Promote household access to butane gas cooking equipment 275,000 households and 35% subsidy for gas refills T5. Increase production of electricity from natural gas: Construction of oil/gas power plant (400MW) 19

28 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Publicly Available bank ECOWREX IRENA World Bank IEA Final energy per capita toe/capita Access to electricity (national %) % Generation from RE (share) 2010; 2013; % Generation from RE (GWh) - N.a. On-grid RE installed capacity Off-grid RE installed capacity 2012; MW - N.a. RE electricity generation GWh RE total capacity MW Energy use per capita Access to electricity (national %) RE output (% of total electricity output) hydroelectric (GWh) hydroelectric (% of total) National policies and measures on RE 1990; 2000; 2010; toe/capita 38.4% % Computed by ECREEE ECREEE Baseline Report for Benin 2014 ECREEE Baseline Report for Benin 2014 ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report 2014 IRENA estimated based on publicly data. IRENA estimated based on publicly data. IEA Statistics Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), Global Electrification database. OECD/IEA and World Bank, based on IEA data in IEA World Energy Balances GWh IEA Statistics % IEA Statistics No policies in the database 20

29 Governmental National policies and measures on EE Public governmental databank on RE and EE BURKINA FASO Country s RE and EE Goals and Targets RE Targets T1. Doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. No policies in the database None EE Targets T1. Achieve universal access to modern energy services. T2. Double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Publicly Available bank Final energy per capita - N.a. Access to electricity (national %) % ECREEE Baseline Report for Burkina Faso 2014 Generation from RE (share) - N.a. ECOWREX Generation from RE (GWh) - N.a. On-grid RE installed capacity Off-grid RE installed capacity MW MW ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report 2014 Personal Interviews/ Correspondences/ s IRENA RE electricity generation RE total capacity GWh 39.3 MW IRENA estimated based on publicly data. IRENA estimated based on publicly data. Energy use per capita - N.a. World Bank Access to electricity (national %) 1990; 2000; 2010; % Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), Global Electrification database. 21

30 bank RE output (% of total electricity output) % 6 OECD/IEA and World Bank, based on IEA data in IEA World Energy Balances IEA Governmental hydroelectric (GWh) hydroelectric (% of total) National policies and measures on RE National policies and measures on EE Public governmental databank on RE and EE - N.a. - N.a. Country not included in the database Country not included in the database None CAPE VERDE Country s RE and EE Goals and Targets RE Targets EE Targets Unconditional commitments T1. Achieve 100% grid Access by 2017 T2. Achieve 30% RE penetration rate into the electric grid by 2025 T1. Reduce overall energy demand by 10% in relation to the base scenario by Conditional commitments T3. Increase the RE uptake in electricity to 100% by 2025 following the trajectory: 35% RE penetration rate in % RE penetration rate in % RE penetration rate in T2. Reduce overall energy demand by 20% in relation to the base scenario by 2030, (efforts to achieve this target by 2025) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Publicly Available bank ECOWREX Final energy per capita toe/capita Computed by ECREEE 6 The RE output for 2011 was % of total electricity output, according to the World Bank. The of 2012 (0%) is probably due to a fault in the reporting process. 22