Nay Pyi Taw, November 12, 2020 – Twenty-five (25) staff members from the Government of Myanmar (GoM) were awarded a training certificate in recognition of their participation in the Training Course on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification, and Climate Change.
The Environmental Conservation Department (ECD) within MONREC is the national focal agency for the UNFCCC and, as such, plays a central role in Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of all actions undertaken by the GoM to implement its commitments under the Paris Agreement. The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) signed an MoU with MONREC on Feb. 9, 2017 to support the GoM in implementation of Myanmar’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
During 2018-2019, staff from GGGI, ECD, and Australian Volunteer program (AVI), developed a training program for 24 ECD staff (20 Female and 4 Male) on the foundational principles of climate change, an orientation to the Paris Agreement, an overview of the components of Myanmar’s expected NDC MRV system, and an on Climate Diplomacy. Under supervision of ECD DG U Hla Maung Thein, the development of this first curriculum was led by Ms. Kristina Downey (AVI), supported by GGGI Specialist (Mr. Siddhartha Nauduri), GGGI in-country team members (Mr. Thiha Aung, Ms. Thinn Thinn Khaing, Dr. Aaron Russell), and ECD Climate Change Unit staff (Ms. Su Su Lwin and Ms. May Eaindra Kyaw).
During late 2019-2020, GGGI, ECD, and AVI expanded this program into a full 26-hour Training of Trainers (TOT) program. Seven (7) ECD staff (2 Female and 5 Male) completed this NDC MRV TOT. These trainers delivered the same training to 18 ECD staff members (14 Female and 4 Male). The TOT trainings were led by Dr. Andrew White (AVI) and Mr. Siddhartha Nauduri (GGGI MRV Specialist), supported by GGGI in-country team members. The ECD Climate Change Unit led by Deputy Director Dr. San Win coordinated and implemented all trainings to ECD staff members.
While the initial MRV training modules were developed in English, these were translated and delivered in Myanmar language by the ECD Climate Change Unit MRV TOT participants. The first 7 lessons of the training program cover essential background information on climate change and its impacts on Myanmar’s people and SDG outcomes. This is followed by 6 lessons covering an overview of the international climate regulatory regime and MRV requirements in the NDC. Sub-sector specific trainings on the MRV of Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU), and Agriculture were integrated into the 2020 training curriculum.
Due to COVID-19, the in‑person trainings had to be curtailed, meaning 4 out of 13 modules were delivered online. Each lesson was delivered through a PowerPoint presentation and an accompanying lesson transcript in both English and Burmese. Future staff can therefore go through the training by themselves as individuals or participate in organized lessons delivered to groups by the trainers.
This MRV TOT training program is a key component of GGGI and ECD’s collaboration aimed at developing Myanmar’s human and institutional capacities to implement the NDC. This TOT training has established a core team of staff members who have the knowledge and skills to implement future trainings for key government agency counterparts and other stakeholders who will support the GoM in its MRV activities.
The training was officially closed by Dr. San Oo, Deputy Director General of the Environmental Conservation Department, on November 12, 2020, where he expressed his appreciation to GGGI and AVP trainers for their support in terms of building capacity of ECD staff and also mentioned the strengthened collaboration among ECD, GGGI and AVP which enabled the delivery of the training. Dr. San Oo also mentioned that ECD and GGGI will develop these skills and training materials further into sector-specific trainings to be delivered with each ministry/agency whose contributions will be needed in the MRV of Myanmar’s NDC actions in the future.
Ms. Kristina Downey, AVI Climate Change Specialist providing training for government staff
Dr. Andrew White, AVI Climate Change Capacity Building Specialist delivering in person training for government staff
Dr. Andrew White, AVI Climate Change Capacity Building Specialist delivering training for ECD trainers via Zoom
Mr. Siddhartha Nauduri, GGGI MRV Specialist delivering MRV training for ECD trainers via Zoom
Dr. San Win, Deputy Director of Environmental Conservation Department delivering training to participants via Zoom
Climate Change and MRV Training Closing Session