3rd Ad-hoc virtual meeting of the Consultative Group of Experts

Summary of outcome

The 3rd ad-hoc virtual meeting of the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) took place on 22 July 2020 from 14:30 – 16:30 (CEST). Fifteen (15) CGE members and one (1) observer attended the meeting. This was a follow-up meeting to the 2nd CGE ad-hoc meeting held on 22 June 2020.

The main objective of the meeting was to continue assessing the potential impact of the on-going worldwide effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the CGE’s 2020 work plan, in particular the planned regional hands-on training workshops.

The key summary of the outcomes of the 3rd ad-hoc meeting includes the following:

• The CGE reiterated its commitment to deliver its mandate and work towards ensuring a successful implementation of this year’s work plan.
• Considering the current global impacts of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the CGE, while recognizing that virtual settings do not replace in-person training workshops, agreed to hold all the regional hands-on training workshops planned for this year in virtual setting, starting from the month of October 2020.
• The CGE, in order to keep the Parties informed of its work in 2020, agreed to prepare, by February 2021, the following reports: (i) Annual progress report of the CGE for 2020; (ii) Report on the regional virtual trainings on the existing MRV arrangements and the enhanced transparency framework; and (iii) Updated technical paper on problems, constraints and lessons learned as well as capacity-building needs for the preparation of NCs and BURs.
• Recognizing that the CGE members participate in the technical analysis of biennial update reports, the CGE will participate in a refresher seminar on conducting and documenting a technical analysis that will be held on 25 August 2020.
• Finally, the CGE also agreed to organize its 4th CGE meeting in a virtual setting.  The CGE requested the secretariat to organize the virtual meeting in the month of September.