Background
The arrangement of provision of technical and financial support to 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, the Conference of Parties (COP) at its fifth session, established the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) with the objective of improving national communications from non-Annex I Parties  ( Decision 8/CP.5). 

The COP, at its eight session, 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), and Parties, since then, could not agree on a new mandate and the terms of reference.

 The SBI, at its thirtieth session, decided to recommend the COP at its fifteenth session to reconstitute the CGE for a period of three years from 2010 – 2012 (FCCC/SBI/2009/L.3/Rev.1).

Activities
The activities of the CGE include the examination of national communications of non-Annex I Parties; conducting regional hands-on training workshops on greenhouse gas inventories, vulnerability and adaptation (V and A) assessments and mitigation assessments in the context of the preparation of national communications; and preparation of technical reports to the SBI such as ways to improve access to financial and technical support for the preparation of national communications.  The CGE is presently implementing its work programme for 2003–2007 (see document FCCC/SBI/2003/INF.17, annex II).

Membership
The CGE is composed of 24 members representing the following: five members each from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean; six members from Annex I Parties; one member each from three international organizations.  See list of CGE members. To facilitate its work, the CGE set up the following four thematic groups: national GHG inventories, vulnerability and adaptation assessments, mitigation and cross-cutting issues which includes research and systematic observation, technology transfer, capacity-building, education, training and public awareness, information and networking and financial and technical support (FCCC/SBI/2004/INF.5).

Recent developments

At its 27th session, the SBI acknowledged the progress report prepared by the secretariat on the work of the CGE and took note of the outcome of its ninth meeting held in Cairo, Egypt, from 24 to 25 September 2007 (FCCC/SBI/2007/28).  It also noted the outcomes of the workshop on exchange of experiences and good practices among non-Annex I Parties in preparing national communications and on
cross-cutting issues held in Cairo, Egypt, from 20 to 22 September 2007 as contained in the same document.

The SBI also welcomed the information contained in the following CGE reports:

1.  Report of the CGE on the outcomes of its examination of national communications from non-Annex I Parties (FCCC/SBI/2007/20);

2.  Integration of information contained in national adaptation programmes of action into second and subsequent national communications (FCCC/SBI/2007/27).

The COP, by its decision 3/CP.8, decided to extend the mandate of the CGE under the terms of reference specified in the annex to this decision, and to review the mandate and the revised terms of reference at its thirteenth session.  As Parties did not reach conclusions, the SBI agreed to continue deliberations on this issue at its twenty-eighth session with a view to recommending a draft decision for adoption by the COP at its fourteenth session.  However, during SBI 28 and 29, Parties were still unable to reach conclusions on the mandate and revised terms of reference of the CGE. Deliberations on this matter will continue at SBI 30.

For additional information on CGE workshops and meetings, please check the following link :  CGE workshops and meetings.