Mandate

Pursuant to decisions 9/CP.30 and 16/CMA.7, objective of the CGE shall be to provide technical advice and support to developing country Parties for enhancing their institutional and technical capacity to fulfil their reporting obligations under the Convention and the Paris Agreement, with a particular emphasis on the implementation of the ETF, with a view to facilitating improvements in their reporting over time.

The CGE at its 14th meeting updated its work programme for 2026-2029. In addition, the group at its 14th meeting developed its 2026 workplan including priorities and key activities in 2026

• CGE 2026 work plan
• CGE work programme 2026-2029
• Rules of Procedure 

In 2018, the CGE agreed to make available information notes on the work of the CGE; one being an account of the work of the CGE for the period 2014-2017 supplemented with a second note featuring an analysis of the impacts and added value of the work undertaken by the CGE during that period.

To that end, two information notes have been prepared and are available below:

• CGE information note - Part I
• CGE information note - Part II

At COP 30 in Belem, Brazil, decisions 9/CP.30 and 16/CMA.7, adopted the revised terms of reference of the CGE, and its composition. It is also decided that the CGE will serve both the Convention and the Paris Agreement and that the term of the CGE will continue.

At COP 26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, by decision 14/CP.26, adopted the revised terms of reference of the CGE.

At COP24 in Katowice, Poland, by decision 11/CP.24, it was decided that the mandate of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention will be extended for eight years, from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2026 and renamed it the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE).In addition to assisting developing country Parties fulfil their reporting requirements under the Convention, the CGE will also support  the implementation of the enhanced transparency framework under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.

COP 22, by decision 20/CP.22, requested by the SBI, at its forty-eighth session, to consider a review of the term and mandate of the CGE, including the terms of reference. 

COP 19, by decisions 19/CP.19, continued the CGE for five years, from 2014-2018.

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 NCs, 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 NCs 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 NCs 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 NCs from non-Annex I Parties (Decision 8/CP.5).