What are the Common Reporting Framework (CRF) requirements?

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Launched in January 2019, the Common Reporting Framework (CRF) of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) has united local data, actions, and voices and raised the bar on a transparent, robust evidence base that amplifies the impact of city climate action.
Developed in partnership with the GCoM alliance, these recommendations:
- Streamline measurement and reporting procedures
- Ensure robust climate action planning, implementation and monitoring
- Retain the flexibility needed to meet local and regional contexts
Standardised yet flexible reporting that allows for progress tracking provides a springboard for stronger multilevel climate and energy governance – and improved technical and financial support.

Updates to the CRF

The CRF was updated in 2023 and the following requirements are applicable for Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs) or components thereof submitted from January 2024. All SEACAPs or components thereof approved under the CRF, and CoM SSA requirements before January 2024, are still considered to meet the requirements of the updated CRF.
The updated CRF now features the Energy Access and Poverty Pillar (EAPP), which was launched at COP 27. Built on the attributes of secure, affordable, and sustainable energy, the pillar is aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal #7 – covering over 50 global and regional measurement indicators following a two-year consultation process across GCoM Regional and National Covenants.
The latest version of the CRF also has an additional simplified reporting level. The simplified reporting level is introduced to make it easier for local governments, such as those with low available resources and low data capacity, to comply with their commitment to the GCoM. Furthermore, the CRF does not prescribe specific methodologies or standards.

What is required and what is optional?

This reporting framework uses precise language to indicate which provisions are requirements and which are optional:
- The term “shall” is used to indicate what is required (indicated as “mandatory” in the annexes).
- The term “should” is used to indicate a strongly advised recommendation, so is not a requirement (indicated as “recommended” in the annexes”).
- The term “may” is used to indicate an option that is permissible or allowable that local governments may choose to follow (indicated as “optional” in the annexes).
Flexibility has been built into this reporting framework to accommodate limitations in data availability and differences in emission sources between local governments.

What are the goals of the CRF’s design?

The CRF is designed to be:

Ambitious: Drives ambitious action and implementation, while considering the local context, encouraging cities and local governments to pursue a more comprehensive and integrated way of planning.
Flexible: Suitable for cities and local governments with varying capacities and resources, allowing for adaptation to regional circumstances. Complementary to national reporting systems, tools and methodologies to support efficient reporting.
Actionable: Provides a framework supporting city climate action planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
Transparent: Promotes open data sharing to enable the exchange of cities and local governments’ experiences, opportunities and challenges.

General principles of the CRF

The general principles are applicable to all topic areas presented in this document:

The reporting framework allows flexibility to suit differentiated local circumstances and needs, such as:
- The use of different methodologies under the IPCC framework
- Varied access to necessary and quality data
- Recognising that local governments of smaller communities may have less capacity
- Relevance to all geographical locations
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories, risk and vulnerability assessments, target(s) and goal(s), identifying hazards, climate and energy access plans should be relevant to the local and regional situation, reflecting the specific activities, capacity and regulatory context of the local government.
Local governments may develop joint reporting and action plans with the neighbouring community(ies).
Local governments shall report in a way that enables meaningful comparison and aggregation with other cities.
Local governments reporting under the simplified reporting level and reporting following regional deviations might not be fully consistent with the different methodologies under the IPCC framework. Local governments are encouraged to report as extensively as possible.

More information on the GCoM CRF Requirements can be found using the link.

CoM SSA Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP) course