The COP, by its decision 13/CP.20, and the CMP, by its decision 22/CMP.1, requested the secretariat to facilitate meetings of lead reviewers (LRs) for greenhouse (GHG) inventories. The objective of these annual meetings is to improve the quality, efficiency and consistency of the reviews. The LRs collectively prepare conclusions and recommendations for each meeting. Those conclusions are included every year in the report to SBSTA on GHG reviews and other matters, containing suggestions on how to improve the quality, efficiency and consistency of the reviews. (For the latest report to SBSTA, please see document FCCC/SBSTA/2019/INF.4)

Due to the world health situation created by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the 17th meeting of GHG inventory LRs, initially scheduled for 2–4 March 2020 in Bonn, was postponed to 29 June to 3 July 2020 as a virtual meeting.

The meeting is held entirely virtually with a reduced scope compared with the original meeting. Only two break out groups will take place: "Enhancing the operationalization of the reviews" and "Improving the technical consistency of the review process".