Joint AC and LEG mandates in support of the Paris Agreement
Related documents
  • Addendum to the reports of the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group
     
  • Conclusions from SB 48 on Matters relating to the Least Developed Countries; and Report of the Adaptation Committee
     
  • AC-LEG/2017/3 -  Draft recommendations developed by the AC and the LEG to address decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 41 and, in collaboration with the SCF, to address decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 45
     
  • AC-LEG/2017/1 - Draft options for the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to address decision 1/CP.21, paragraphs 41 and 45
     
  • AC-LEG/2016/2 - An input to the discussions by the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group at their meetings on their work in addressing the mandates contained in decision 1/CP.21, paragraphs 41 and 45. Desk review by the secretariat
Of interest

On March 8, 2017 in the margins of LEG 31 and AC 11, both bodies met to further discuss next steps on the joint mandates.

See below "reporting back" presentations of the bodies after their breakout group discussions:

Presentation held during the joint AC/LEG event (12 May 2017)

 

 

 

Mandates 

The Conference of the Parties (COP) at its twenty-first session requested the Adaptation Committee (AC) and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) to undertake three inter-related tasks to assist implementation of the Paris Agreement, with outputs to be considered by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement at its first session, CMA1 (decision 1/CP.21 , paras. 41 and 45). The mandates are as follows:

Request to the AC and the LEG to jointly develop modalities to recognize the adaptation efforts of developing country Parties, as referred to in Article 7, paragraph 3, of the Agreement, and make recommendations for consideration and adoption by CMA 1;
Request to the AC and the LEG, in collaboration with the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) and other relevant institutions, to develop methodologies, and make recommendations for consideration and adoption by CMA 1 on:

  1. Taking the necessary steps to facilitate the mobilization of support for adaptation in developing countries in the context of the limit to global average temperature increase referred to in Article 2 of the Agreement;
  2. Reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of adaptation and support referred to in Article 7, paragraph 14(c), of the Agreement.

Status as at COP23

At COP 23, the SBSTA and the SBI noted that the AC together with the LEG have completed its work on the recommendations to the CMA relating to decision 1/CP.21, paragraphs 41 and 45 (regarding the recognition of adaptation efforts by developing countries; steps to facilitate adaptation support; and reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of adaptation and support).

The SBSTA and the SBI agreed to continue their consideration at their 48th sessions in April–May 2018.

Earlier progress

On 12 May 2017, during the Climate Change Conference in Bonn, the AC and the LEG, in collaboration with the SCF, held their second joint special event to inform conference delegates of progress made in the implementation of their joint mandates, and to gather detailed feedback and input from the audience. 

The 3-hour event first presented the status of the joint work and participants were then invited to discuss the draft elements for recommendations in three breakout groups. The AC, the LEG and the SCF will take into account the input received during the meeting in the next iteration of their work, which will be discussed at their respective meetings in August and September. Upon completion of the technical work by the bodies, the results will be considered by the subsidiary bodies before being forwarded to CMA1.

The AC and the LEG at their meetings in March 2017 (AC11 and the LEG31), in collaboration with the SCF, jointly held a meeting to further progress in addressing the three mandates. The meeting considered draft options of modalities and methodologies as contained in a document prepared by the groups prior to the meetings (AC-LEG/2017/1, see box on the right under Documentation). The outcomes of the meeting are available on the right under Of interest!. The groups tasked their joint working group to further advance work and to prepare an updated paper based on the discussions during the joint meeting.

Progress of the joint work was presented during a side event at COP 22, on 10 November 2016. During the side event, feedback was invited from Parties and non-party stakeholders on the approach taken, as well as on the initial options for possible methodologies and modalities. See the presentation on the joint work given at the event.

The joint work is based on a synthesis of submissions from Parties and other stakeholders (see box on the right), the desk review of relevant information and previous relevant discussions.

The AC, at its 10th meeting (13-16 September 2016) and the LEG, at its 30th meeting (7-10 September 2016) considered a background note (AC-LEG/2016/2, see box on the right) which provides an overview of activities undertaken thus far by the AC and the LEG in responding to the above mandates. The paper in particular presents the results of a technical desk review of existing modalities and methodologies relevant to the mandates, as well as possible considerations and next steps for taking the mandates forward. To further the work on these mandates, the AC and the LEG agreed to establish a joint working group consisting of four members each from the AC and the LEG to work intersessionally. The working group is supported by two members from the SCF.

 Previous work 

  • Overall, the AC and the LEG decided to take a three‐step approach for organizing the work:
    • Step 1 (Q2‐Q3 2016): gathering and synthesizing information relevant to the mandates;
    • Step 2 (Q3 2016 to Q1 2017): identifying a suite of possible methodologies and modalities (options) and validating them through outreach to Parties and relevant stakeholders;
    • Step 3 (Q2‐Q4 2017): selection of options to include in recommendations for CMA 1.
  • The secretariat, following a request made by the AC and the LEG, prepared a background paper to initiate consideration of the mandates;
  • Members of the AC and the LEG held a joint meeting on 27 May 2016 and developed a workplan for addressing the mandates;  A report on the meeting is available  here.
  • Members of the AC and the LEG who attended NAP Expo 2016 held an informal meeting on 15 July 2016 to further discuss work in addressing the mandates;
  • The AC and the LEG issued a call for submissions from Parties and non-Party stakeholders, to gather information relevant to the mandates (submission deadline was Friday, 30 September 2016).

More information is available in the recent reports of the AC and the LEG.

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