THE CAPACITY GAP

A central element of the Paris Agreement is forcountries to regularly and accurately take stock oftheir greenhouse gas sources and sinks. Yet threeyears after its entry into force, there still exists asignificant disconnect between ambition andimplementation. Even with unprecedented politicalwill to combat climate change, the currentinstitutions and workforces in many countries cannotfully implement the Paris Agreement as intended.

TRAINING THE WORKFORCE

TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE

THE OLD MODEL

Developing additional capacity for GHG inventorieshelps countries efficiently meet targets specified intheir NDCs, further increase ambition, and receiveresults-based finance from the REDD+ mechanism.International capacity-building efforts to date,however, have often defaulted to discrete initiativesrevolving around short workshops with significantforeign expert roles. Closing this ambition gap requiresa structural shift toward novel and innovativestrategies of more permanent capacity-building.

THE NEW MODEL

To meet this challenge, the Carbon Institute has madea long term commitment to building endogenous,internationally-connected, institutionalized capacitythrough self-sustaining, solution-oriented professionaltraining programs in terrestrial carbon accounting.These courses use evidence-based teaching andlearning best practices, shared curricula, facultymentoring, and active learning modules thatculminate in accredited advanced terrestrial carbonaccounting certifications.

SUSTAINABLE CAPACITY

Growing in-country technical capacity within centersof higher education builds long-term capacity towardtraining new generations of carbon professionals andleaders over the coming decades without being relianton continuous foreign support. This model invests inthe long-term success of a country’s workforce,educational systems, and consequently its climateambition by empowering national academicinstitutions to create and sustain capacity.

THE CAPACITY GAP

A central element of the Paris Agreement is forcountries to regularly and accurately take stock oftheir greenhouse gas sources and sinks. Yet threeyears after entry into force, there is still asignificant disconnect between ambition andimplementation. Even with unprecedented politicalwill to combat climate change, the currentinstitutions and workforces in many countries cannotfully implement the Paris Agreement as intended.

CLOSING THE GAP

Developing additional capacity for GHG inventorieshelps countries efficiently meet NDC targets, furtherincrease ambition, and receive results-based financefrom REDD+. International capacity-building efforts todate often defaulted to discrete initiatives revolvingaround short workshops with significant foreign expertroles. Closing this ambition gap requires a structuralshift toward novel and innovative strategies of morepermanent country-owned technical training in GHGmeasurement.

OUR WORK

To meet this challenge, The Carbon Institute has madea long term commitment to building institutionalizedGHG measurement capacity through supportingfaculty in establishing terrestrial carbon accountingcertificate programs. Self-sustaining, solution-oriented professional training courses use teachingbest practices, shared curricula, faculty mentoring,and active learning modules. Carbon Instituteprograms graduate professional workforces withtechnical skills to measure land use emissions andcontribute to the UNFCCC expert review process.

SUSTAINABLE CAPACITY

Investing in carbon accounting faculty in teachingcenters builds long-term capacity and a newgeneration of carbon professionals. The CarbonInstitute trains world class experts in measuringnatural carbon stocks without being reliant oncontinuous foreign consultants or support. Our modelinvests in the long-term success of a country’sworkforce, educational systems, and national climateambition by empowering academic institutions thatsustain and grow human capacity.

Mentorfaculty

Tailoradvancedcurricula

Accredit

programsglobally &nationally

Conserve & restore

ecosystems

Measureclimate

progress transparently

CURRICULAR CONTENT

TCA Policy Context

CENTRAL AFRICA

The Carbon Institute’s terrestrial carbon accounting(TCA) courses in Cameroon, the Republic of theCongo (ROC), and the Democratic Republic of theCongo (DRC) are a compelling case-study in how tofoster a new generation of world-class faculty.  Aftermentoring the best academics in Cameroon withprior expertise in TCA, these highly-trainedCameroonian teachers then brought advanced TCAto ROC, and the best faculty from these twocountries teamed up to teach TCA in DRC. Theresult: three successful advanced TCA courses inCentral African countries, all taught by the bestfaculty in the region.

REPUBLIC OF CONGO

31 PROFESSIONALS TRAINED

691 COURSE PERSON -HOURS

TRAINED BY CAMEROONIAN EXPERTS

2,321 91%78Central African experts

trained to teach TCA

Course person-hours

of TCA training

Positive training

course evaluations

CAMEROON

27 PROFESSIONALS TRAINED

1 ,200 COURSE PERSON -HOURS

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

20 PROFESSIONALS TRAINED

430 COURSE PERSON -HOURS

TRAINED BY CAMEROONIAN AND

CONGOLESE EXPERTS

IPCC Guidelines and Land Use Classification

GIS, Remote Sensing, and Activity Data

Field Measurements and Emission Factors

Carbon Accounting Math and Statistics

Communicating TCA Results

“There is a need for more carbon accounting training in Central Africa. Only threecountries have already hosted TCA training programs — Cameroon, the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. The seven other countries ofCOMIFAC would benefit from extended TCA training.” — François Hiol Hiol, Former Director of CRESA Forêt-Bois

T H E C A R B O N I N S T I T U T E — C A R B O N I N S T I T U T E . O R G