Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest)
The Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest), is a two-year global project to step up developing countries' ability to collect, analyze and disseminate forest-related data, to make forest data transparent and accessible in line with the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the Paris Agreement. The project aims to increase institutional and technical capacities and to boost knowledge-sharing and awareness-raising about the ETF particularly in the forest sector.
Information on the project is available here: http://www.fao.org/3/ca7424en/ca7424en.pdf
Read more about the project on FAO's homepage here: http://www.fao.org/in-action/boosting-transparency-forest-data/en/

To strengthen institutional and technical capacities of developing countries on forest-related data collection, analysis and dissemination processes to meet the enhanced transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement.
Relevant national institutions responsible for forest-related data are able to report and respond to the transparency requirements thanks to improved institutional capacity.
Enhanced technical capacity of governmental counterparts in pilot countries in reporting, accuracy and consistency of forest-related data.
Increased knowledge sharing among transparency practitioners and experts.
Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) network:
- Global Forest Resources Assessment National Correspondents (FRA-NC)
- Instituto Forestal (INFOR) (FRAAG)
- USDA Forest Service National Office (FRA-AG)
- All-Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry (FRA-AG)
- European Commission – JRC (FRA-AG)
- International Finance Corporation –World Bank Group (FRA-AG)
- UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (FRA-AG)
- UNFCCC (FRA-AG)
- FOREST EUROPE (FRA-AG + CFRQ)
- UNECE Trade and Timber Division (FRA-AG + CFRQ)
- Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (FRA-AG)
- Global Forest Observation Initiative (GFOI)
(Note: FRA Advisory Group (FRA-AG); Collaborative Forest Resources Questionnaire (CFRQ))
Candidate pilot countries:
- Asia- Thailand
- Asia- Laos
- Africa – Cote d’Ivoire
- Africa – Uganda
- LAC- Guatemala
- LAC – Honduras
International institutions:
- CBIT Global Coordination Platform (UNEP/UNDP)
- FAO CBIT – AFOLU global project
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Initiative on Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) (ISPRA)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Indigenous peoples and local communities organizations:
- IPs Representative 1 – Asia
- IPs Representative 2 – LAC
- Rights & Resources Initiative
- Rainforest Alliance US
Civil society:
- International Forestry Students Association (IFSA)
- Wageningen University and Research (WUR)
- Women organizing for change in agriculture & natual resource management (WOCAN)
- Megaflorestais
The CBIT-Forest project's component 3 'Sharing knowledge and improving coordination to respond to the ETF' addresses knowledge management. This includes among other the identification, documentation and sharing of case studies and/or best parctices as well as the devlopment of infographic booklets. More details can be found in the project document under component 3.

Climate Change, MRV, ETF, AFOLU
Indicator | Target | Baseline | Source of verification |
---|---|---|---|
Degree of increased institutional capacity on the enhanced transparency framework | 1 | 0 | Mixed methodologies (interviews, reports, workshop proceedings) |
Number of national institutions in targeted countries with the ability to respond to the enhanced transparency framework | 1 | 0 | Mixed methodologies |
Number of countries with demonstrated increased capacity | 1 | 0 | Capacity development gaps & assessments, end of work capacity survey |
Number of times practitioners accessing case studies/best practices | At least 200 | 0 | |
Number of times practitioners accessing outreach/dissemination products | At least 400 | 0 |
1.1 Relevant national institutions responsible for forest-related data are able to report and respond to the transparency requirements thanks to improved institutional capacity.
1.1.1 Upgraded Global FRA reporting platform to improve access to forest-related data, support transparency-related activities and tracking process of NDCs designed and implemented.
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1.1.2 Global set of knowledge and training material on forest-related ETF package developed for and accessed by policymakers and technical experts in different languages and with different focus.
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1.1.3 Regional high-level awareness raising and capacity building with key national stakeholders organized and executed.
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2.1 Enhanced technical capacity of governmental counterparts in pilot countries in reporting, accuracy and consistency of forest-related data.
2.1.1 A global forest field observation repository to assist efforts to measure and report in compliance with the ETF developed for integration to the global forest-related platform.
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2.1.2 Technical Regional/ National capacity built of relevant focal points in pilot countries on national forest monitoring systems for improved integration and consistency with international reporting processes (NDCs, REDD+).
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2.1.3 Roadmap in pilot countries on key gaps and barriers for the continued enhancement of national and global forest-related transparency identified and presented.
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3.1 Increased knowledge sharing among transparency practitioners and experts.
3.1.1 Best practices and case studies on successful transparency-related activities, identified, documented and shared.
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3.1.2 Outreach and communication products developed, published and disseminated.
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This report on the inception phase of the FAO/GEF project GCP/GLO/882/CBT: “Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector” – has been prepared to disseminate information on the activities carried out during the CBIT-Forest project kick-off. The authors are Rocío Cóndor, Julian Fox, and Anssi Pekkarinen from the Forestry Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
'Boosting transparency of forest data for climate action' is the poster the CBIT-Forest available in
English: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9905en/ca9905en.pdf
Spanish: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9905es/ca9905es.pdf
French: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9905fr/ca9905fr.pdf
A lack of institutional and individual capacity often undermines the long-term impact of otherwise technically sound programmes. To support efforts towards sound and impactful forest monitoring, the FAO has developed a national forest monitoring system (NFMS) assessment tool to help countries identify capacity gaps and weaknesses in order to address their real needs in a targeted manner. Available in:
English: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9903en/ca9903en.pdf
French: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9903fr/ca9903fr.pdf
Spanish: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9903es/ca9903es.pdf
The tool aims to assist countries in carrying out a comprehensive capacity assessment of forest monitoring across three complementary themes – institutional arrangements, measurement and estimation, and reporting and verification. Available in:
EN: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0988en/CB0988EN.pdf
ES: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0988es/CB0988Es.pdf
FR: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0988fr/CB0988fr.pdf
ZH: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0988zh/cb0988zh.pdf
RU: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0988ru/cb0988ru.pdf
AR: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0988ar/cb0988ar.pdf
The course will be useful to those wishing to understand the importance of forest-related data collection, analysis, and dissemination in meeting the ETF requirements. Available in:
English: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=587
Spanish: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=610
French: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=616
Chinese: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=647
Russian: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=739
Arabic: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=760
An integrated national forest monitoring system for sustainable forest management and conservation in Bangladesh. Supporting long-term planning, implementation, and monitoring of multi-objective forest-related activities. Available in:
English: http://www.fao.org/3/cb1912en/cb1912en.pdf
French: http://www.fao.org/3/cb1912fr/cb1912fr.pdf
Spanish: http://www.fao.org/3/cb1912es/cb1912es.pdf
The Democratic Republic of the Congo establishes a national forest monitoring system to promote sustainable forest management. Improving proactive monitoring of deforestation and forest degradation with a robust national forest monitoring system. Available in:
English: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0702en/CB0702EN.pdf
French: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0702fr/cb0702fr.pdf
Spanish: http://www.fao.org/3/cb0702es/cb0702es.pdf
Strengthening national capacities to monitor natural, agricultural and biodiversity resources to support decision-making and increase the ambition and effectiveness of climate actions. Available in (version 2):
EN: http://www.fao.org/3/cb5929en/cb5929en.pdf
FR: http://www.fao.org/3/cb5929fr/cb5929fr.pdf
ES: http://www.fao.org/3/cb5929es/cb5929es.pdf
Summary of achievements and activities of the CBIT-Forest project in numbers.
Efforts in developing NFMS has been fundamental to increase transparency, and lessons learnt will be useful to implement the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. Efforts have also been made to institutionalize their NFMS, in order to enhance country ownership, which is key to its sustainability, and to paving the way for more streamlined use of forest data, data-sharing and transparency. Spanish (http://www.fao.org/3/cb3759es/cb3759es.pdf) and French (http://www.fao.org/3/cb3759fr/cb3759fr.pdf) also available
The National Forest Monitoring System as part of the National Strategy on Climate Change and Vegetation Resources in Chile: Applying state-of-the-art monitoring approaches in forest conservation, restoration, and management.
Available in:
EN: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4253en/cb4253en.pdf
ES: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4253es/cb4253es.pdf
FR: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4253fr/cb4253fr.pdf
Establishing a multi-purpose national forest monitoring system to improve land use monitoring capacities in Ghana: Strengthening the accessibility and accuracy of forest-related data for meeting national and international climate targets
Available in
EN: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4778en/cb4778en.pdf
ES: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4778es/cb4778es.pdf
FR: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4778fr/cb4778fr.pdf
National forest monitoring system provides better data, and enhances capacity in Papua New Guinea: Enhancing land use planning and monitoring of
forest-related interventions through transparent and accurate forest data and information for climate action
Available in
EN: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4911en/cb4911en.pdf
ES: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4911es/cb4911es.pdf
FR: http://www.fao.org/3/cb4911fr/cb4911fr.pdf
Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest) is a project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), that is stepping up the abilities of developing countries’ to collect, analyse and disseminate forest-related data, to make forest data transparent and accessible, in line with the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement.
The publication shares the experiences and lessons learnt at global, regional and national levels from the implementation of the "Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest)" project.
English: https://doi.org/10.4060/cb8908en
Spanish: https://doi.org/10.4060/cb8908es
French: https://doi.org/10.4060/cb8908fr
The terminal evaluation report provides findings, recommendations, conclusions and lessons learned of the project GCP/GLO/882/CBT “Building Global Capacity to Increase Transparency in the Forest Sector” (CBIT-Forest)"