The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling decisions 5/CP.7, 7/CP.7, 27/CP.7, 28/CP.7, 29/CP.7, 7/CP.9, 4/CP.10, 4/CP.11, 8/CP.13, 6/CP.16, 3/CP.17, 5/CP.17, 12/CP.18 and 3/CP.20,
Recognizing the specific needs and special situation of the least developed countries under Article 4, paragraph 9, of the Convention,
Having considered the reports on the meetings of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the views of Parties on the work of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the report on the stocktaking meeting on the work of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group and the synthesis report on the progress, need for continuation and terms of reference of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group,
Noting the importance of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group as a body that provides high-quality and relevant information on adaptation for the least developed countries,
Also noting that the least developed country Parties continue to require support for, inter alia, the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, engagement with the Green Climate Fund, regional approaches to adaptation, and the implementation of the least developed countries work programme,
1. Decides to extend the mandate of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group under its current terms of reference;
2. Also decides that the Least Developed Countries Expert Group should be mandated to provide technical guidance and advice on:
(a) The integration of climate change adaptation into national planning and the development of programmes that address both objectives of the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans;
(b) Regional approaches to adaptation planning;
(c) Accessing funding from the Green Climate Fund for the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans in collaboration with the Green Climate Fund secretariat;
(d) Needs related to adaptation that may arise from the Paris Agreement and the decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its twenty-first session, as determined by Parties;
3. Invites the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to consider the need to update the least developed countries work programme and to make recommendations for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation at its forty-eighth session (April–May 2018), with a view to those recommendations being forwarded to the Conference of the Parties at its twenty-fourth session (November 2018), as appropriate;
4. Requests the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 above, when developing its two-year rolling work programme to take into account the compilation of elements contained in annex I to document FCCC/SBI/2015/8 and the compilation of gaps and needs in the least developed countries, considered at this session;
5. Also requests the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to invite the Green Climate Fund secretariat to its meetings, as appropriate;
6. Further requests the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, recognizing its good collaboration with the Global Environment Facility, to continue to invite the Global Environment Facility and its agencies to its meetings, as appropriate;
7. Requests the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to collaborate with other constituted bodies under the Convention, including by inviting members of these bodies to participate, as appropriate, in its meetings;
8. Decides that the membership of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group should remain at 13 members;
9. Encourages the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to invite representatives of regional centres or networks to its meetings as observers, as appropriate;
10. Also encourages the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to invite relevant regional centres to nominate one focal point each for the Least Developed Countries Expert Group with a view to enhancing collaboration with those centres;
11. Invites the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to invite representatives of global programmes, projects and/or networks that support the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans to its meetings, as appropriate, as a way to promote the exchange of experiences and lessons learned;
12. Decides that, in accordance with decision 7/CP.9, paragraph 2, new experts may be nominated to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group or existing members of the group may continue in office, as determined by the respective regions or groups, taking into account the goal of gender balance in established bodies, in accordance with decision 23/CP.18, paragraph 2;
13. Also decides to review, at its twenty-sixth session, the progress, need for continuation and terms of reference of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, with a view to adopting a decision thereon, taking into account, as appropriate, new processes and needs that may arise prior to that session;
14. Further decides on the following actions and steps necessary for the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to initiate the review referred to in paragraph 13 above at its fiftysecond session:
(a) To request the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to convene before June 2020, with the assistance of the secretariat, a meeting with representatives of Parties and relevant organizations, to take stock of its work;
(b) To invite Parties to submit their views on the work of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group via the submissions portal5 by 1 February 2020, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation at its fifty-second session;
(c) To request the secretariat to prepare a report on the stocktaking meeting referred to in paragraph 14(a) above for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation at its fifty-second session, as input to the review;
(d) To request the secretariat to prepare a synthesis report on the progress, need for continuation and terms of reference of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group based on submissions from Parties, reports of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the report of the stocktaking meeting referred to in paragraph 14(c) above and other relevant information for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation at its fifty-second session, as input to the review;
15. Requests the secretariat to continue to facilitate the work of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group.