Chapter 03 · Reporting & strategyReporting, Disclosure & Frameworks
Common reporting format
Definition
The common reporting format (CRF) is the UNFCCC's standardised tabular format — 49 sectoral and summary tables — for reporting national greenhouse gas inventories by Annex I Parties. Annual CRF submissions have been required since 2000 under decision 24/CP.19 and its predecessors, generated through the CRF Reporter software and submitted alongside the national inventory report.
References
Supports definition and framing.
Overview
What it means
It makes national emissions data comparable across countries and years — the backbone of international climate transparency.
How it is used
Under the Paris Agreement's enhanced transparency framework, the CRF is being succeeded by common reporting tables (CRTs) used in biennial transparency reports from 2024.
Why it matters
Consistent inventory tables underpin the global stocktake, compliance review and trust in reported progress.