MRV

Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) is a framework used to track greenhouse gas emissions and removals, and to ensure that data are collected, disclosed, and checked in a transparent and consistent way. MRV is commonly applied in climate governance, including national inventories, sectoral programs, and climate finance mechanisms, and is a core element of international arrangements under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Monitoring refers to the ongoing collection of data on emissions and removals, using activity data (such as energy use or land-use changes) and emission factors, often supplemented by measurements, surveys, and satellite observations. Methodologies follow established guidelines, such as those from the IPCC, and aim to quantify emissions across sectors like energy, transport, industry, agriculture, and forestry. Monitoring also encompasses data quality controls and uncertainty assessments.

Reporting involves organizing and presenting the collected data in standardized formats so that emissions and removals are comparable across countries and programs. This typically includes national inventories, periodic reports (for example, national communications or biennial reports under international frameworks), and disclosures related to specific programs or finance mechanisms.

Verification is the independent review of reported data and methodologies to assess their accuracy, completeness, and consistency. Verification can be mandatory for compliance or voluntary for programs and finance, and it commonly involves accredited auditors or third-party verifiers who assess data sources, calculation methods, uncertainty treatment, and documentation.

MRV is integral to programs such as REDD+ and carbon markets, and it supports accountability, enables policy evaluation, and can influence access to climate finance. Challenges include data gaps, methodological differences, capacity constraints, and the cost of maintaining robust monitoring and verification systems.