Background

All Parties must report on the steps they are taking or envisage undertaking to implement the Convention (Articles 4.1 and 12).  In accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" enshrined in the Convention, the required contents of these national communications and the timetable for their submission are different for Annex I and non-Annex I Parties.  Each non-Annex I Party shall submit its initial communication within three years of the entry into force of the Convention for that Party, or of the availability of financial resources (except for the least developed countries, who may do so at their discretion).  Further, the  Conference of the Parties (COP), at its seventeenth session, decided that non-Annex I Parties, consistent with their capabilities and the level of support provided for reporting, should submit their first biennial update report by December 2014; the least developed country (LDCs) Parties and small island developing States (SIDS) may submit biennial update reports at their discretion.

Guidelines for the preparation of initial national communications from non-Annex I Parties were adopted at COP 2 in Geneva in 1996. At COP 8 (New Delhi, 2002) Parties adopted new  guidelines for the preparation of national communications from non-Annex I Parties.  The preparation of second and, where appropriate third and initial national communications are based on these new guidelines.
The COP, at its seventeenth session, adopted UNFCCC biennial update reporting guidelines for Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention ( decision 2/CP.17, paragraphs 39-42 and annex III of decision 2/CP.17).
It also adopted modalities and guidelines for international consultation and analysis (decision 2/CP.17, paragraphs 54-62 and annex IV of decision 2/CP.17).

COP 5 (Bonn, 1999) established the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) in order to improve the process of preparation of national communications by non-Annex I Parties.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention, provides financial support for the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports in accordance with guidance from the Conference of the Parties (COP) to non-Annex I Parties either through its agencies (UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank) or directly (since 2011).  Some bilateral and multilateral organizations/agencies/programmes also provide financial and technical support to many non-Annex I Parties.
One of the functions of the secretariat is to facilitate assistance to non-Annex I Parties in preparing their national communications.  This includes facilitating the work of the CGE, the organization of workshops, collaboration with bilateral and multilateral support programmes, the dissemination of information through participation in regional workshops and expert group meetings, promoting information exchange, and capacity-building.  The secretariat provides regular reports to the SBI on these activities.

 For submission of national communications from non-Annex I Parties, please contact the secretariat at this email : nai_nc@unfccc.int. The details on the submission process will be communicated through this email.