Transparency takes center stage at UNEA-7 event on digital solutions for climate action

A UNEA-7 event held on 10 December highlighted growing consensus that transparency is becoming one of the most critical drivers of trust, investment and ambition in global climate action. Convened under the title Data for a Changing Planet: Transparency as a Means for Accountability and Decision-Making in the Digital Age, the UNEA side event brought together government representatives, technical experts and institutions to discuss how digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen countries’ ability to generate and use climate data.

Opening the session, UNEP Climate Change Division Director Martin Krause stressed that transparency is evolving into a core enabler of climate action. He underscored that trust between countries and stakeholders depends on robust systems for measuring and reporting progress. “We have all realized that transparency is the pathway to build trust. Without trust meaningful climate action will not happen,” he said, noting that enhanced transparency systems also play a pivotal role in unlocking private-sector investment.

Krause pointed to the wave of countries submitting their first Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) as evidence that the Paris Agreement’s implementation machinery is fully operational. He also highlighted the opportunities presented by rapid digital transformation, especially for developing countries seeking to leapfrog traditional systems and accelerate national climate planning and reporting.

New UNEP tools addressing data gaps

Sally Radwan, Head of UNEP’s Digital Office, outlined the promise and risks of the “data revolution” reshaping environmental governance. She described a landscape defined by abundant data but limited insight, with major challenges in data quality, interoperability, governance, access and capacity.

UNEP’s new Global Environmental Data Strategy and tools such as the World Environment Situation Room, the Climate Mirror and the newly available Environment GPT aim to address these gaps by providing integrated, verifiable and accessible information. “AI doesn’t happen by itself — it requires guardrails, well studied processes to do it right […] the most important thing you need is good-quality verifiable data,” she said.

Common data platforms

The panel discussion, moderated by UNEP’s Miriam Hinostroza, explored how countries are navigating the complexities of digital reporting systems and using data in climate action.

From the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Chizuru Aoki, Manager of the Conventions and Funds Division, emphasized the difficulties countries face in meeting reporting requirements across environmental conventions.
With each having different data requirements, she underscored the need for a more coherent approach and common data foundations and for the focus of digital solutions to be on “how can data, digitalization and other kinds of tools help the countries?” Chizuru Aoki continued on to stress the need for a conversation on how we can come up with common sets of data and how new digital technologies can serve to have common platforms.

National Secretary of Climate Change of Brazil, Adalberto Maluf, described how integrated digital reporting platforms have become essential tools for environmental governance. With multiple crises unfolding simultaneously on climate, biodiversity and pollution, timely, reliable information has become indispensable for policy design and public communication. Adalberto Marluf highlighted how evidence-based data systems have enabled states to align policies, budgets and regulatory measures. “If we don’t handle data properly, it will be hard to move forward”, he said.

Information integrity

Adalberto Maluf also explained that Brazil, leading up to COP30 saw the need to create a special envoy on information integrity, to counter misinformation about climate change.

During COP30 the Information Integrity on Climate Change declaration was launched, with a shared commitment to address climate disinformation and promote accurate, evidence-based information on climate issues.

From Kenya, Fredrick Ouma, Lead Negotiator on Transparency for the G77 and China, underscored the importance of transparent, high-quality data for mobilizing climate finance and supporting national development priorities. The country is advancing digital systems to track climate actions and financial flows, a prerequisite for demonstrating impact and readiness for investment. “Anything that is not reported does not exist,” he said, noting that clear evidence remains fundamental for both climate and sustainable development planning.

Connecting ambition and action

Closing the session, Miriam Hinostroza stressed that transparency is fast becoming “the connective tissue between ambition and action,” as countries seek to strengthen climate accountability and advance their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The event reaffirmed that digital and AI-driven tools can play a crucial role in transforming environmental information into actionable insights, but only when grounded in trusted data, strong institutional systems and sustained capacity.