Introduction

The Conference of the Parties (COP), by decision 19/CP.19, continued the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) for five years, from 2014–2018.

The CGE has the objective of improving the process of and preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (non-Annex I Parties) by providing technical advice and support to such Parties.


CGE revised terms of reference

COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland, decided that the CGE, in fulfilling its mandate, shall function in accordance with the revised terms of reference contained in the annex to decision 19/CP.19. The CGE, in fulfilling its mandate, shall:

(a) Identify and provide technical assistance regarding problems and constraints that have affected the process of and the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties;

(b) Provide technical assistance and support to non-Annex I Parties to facilitate the process of and preparation of their national communications and biennial update reports in accordance with the “Guidelines for the preparation of national communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention” contained in the annex to decision  17/CP.8 and the “UNFCCC biennial update reporting guidelines for Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention” contained in annex III to decision 2/CP.17;

(c) Provide technical advice to non-Annex I Parties to facilitate the development and long-term sustainability of processes of the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports, including the elaboration of appropriate institutional arrangements and the establishment and maintenance of national technical teams, for the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports, including greenhouse gas inventories, on a continuous basis;

(d) Provide recommendations, as appropriate, on elements to be considered in a future revision of the guidelines for the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports from non-Annex I Parties, taking into account the difficulties encountered by non-Annex I Parties in the preparation of their national communications and biennial update reports;

(e) Provide technical advice and support to Parties, upon request, and information on existing activities and programmes, including bilateral, regional and multilateral sources of financial and technical assistance, to facilitate and support the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties;

(f) Provide technical advice and support to Parties, upon request, on the provision of information on steps to integrate climate change considerations into relevant social, economic and environmental policies and actions, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 1(f), of the Convention;

(g) Provide information and technical advice based on, where possible, lessons learned and bestd and best practices in the process of and preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties, including in relation to finance and other support available;

(h) Provide guidance and periodic advice to the secretariat to assist it in fulfilling the selection criteria for the composition of the team of technical experts, in accordance the selection criteria for the composition of the team of technical experts, in accordance with decision 20/CP.19, annex, paragraphs 3-5, taking also into account the reports provided by the secretariat in this regard on a semi-annual basis;

(i) Develop and organize, with assistance of the secretariat, appropriate training programmes for nominated technical experts to begin no later than in 2014, based on the most updated training materials of the Consultative Group of Experts, with a view to improving the technical analysis taking into account the difficulties encountered by non-Annex I Parties in the preparation of their biennial update reports.

 

CGE work programme

COP 19 requested the CGE to develop, at its first meeting in 2014, a work programme for 2014–2018 in accordance with its mandate. The COP also mandated that the CGE shall, in defining and implementing its work programme, take into account other relevant work by expert groups under the Convention to avoid duplication of work. Hence, the CGE developed, amongst other things, the work programme (275 kB) for 2014–2018 at its 11th meeting held in Bonn, Germany on 20 and 21 January 2014.

CGE rules of procedure

The CGE developed its rules of procedures at its 5th meeting on 24–25 November 2005 in Montreal, Canada. The rules of procedures were further revised at the 1st meeting of the reconstituted CGE held on 29–31 March 2010 in Bonn, Germany.

In continuing the term, COP 19 requested the CGE to revise its rules of procedure if needed. The CGE, noting that the development stemming from decisions taken by COP 19 impacted the work and function of the group, revised the  rules of procedure (148 kB)  at its 11th meeting held in Bonn, Germany on 20 and 21 January 2014.

Important milestones

COP 19 by decision 19/CP.19 extended the CGE for a period of five years from 2014 to 2018. The COP also decided that the CGE, in fulfilling its mandate, shall function in accordance with the revised terms of reference contained in the annex to decision 19/CP.19.

COP 18, by decision 18/CP.18, extended for a term of one year the CGE, including its current membership. The COP also decided that the CGE, in fulfilling its mandate, shall function in accordance with the terms of reference contained in the annex to decision 5/CP.15. 

COP 15 by its decision 5/CP.15, reconstituted the CGE for three years from 2010–2012, and mandated the Group to develop its work programme (FCCC/SBI/2010/INF.2) at its first meeting which was held in Bonn, Germany, from 29–31 March 2010. 

COP 8 reviewed the terms of reference of the CGE. In recognition of the excellent role that the CGE played in assisting non-Annex I Parties improve the process of the preparation of their national communications, the COP decided to continue the mandate of the CGE for 5 years and revised its terms of reference ( Decision 3/CP.8). Under this mandate, the objective of the CGE was to improve the process of the preparation of the second and subsequent national communications by providing technical advice and support to non-Annex I Parties. This mandate expired at COP 13 (December 2007). 

COP5: The arrangement of provision of technical and financial support to Parties not included in non-Annex I Parties in preparing their national communications is embedded in Article 12.7 of the Convention. In accordance with the provisions of this Article, COP 5 established the CGE with the objective of improving the process of preparation of national communications from non-Annex I Parties ( Decision 8/CP.5).