Background

The arrangement of provision of technical and financial support to Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (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 the 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 the process of preparation of 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).

At its fifteenth session, the COP, by its decision 5/CP.15, reconstituted the CGE for three years from 2010 to 2012, and mandated the Group to develop its work programme at its first meeting which was held in Bonn, Germany, from 29 to 31 March 2010.

b) Preparation of technical reports to the SBI:

• Elements to be considered in a future revision of the guidelines for the preparation of non-Annex I national communications;
• Development and long-term sustainability of NC processes and maintenance of national technical teams; and
• Integration of climate change considerations into social economic and environmental policies and actions.

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).

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