The Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement,
Recalling decisions 5/CP.7, 29/CP.7, 7/CP.9, 4/CP.10, 4/CP.11, 8/CP.13, 6/CP.16, 5/CP.17, 12/CP.18, 3/CP.20, 1/CP.21, 19/CP.21, 16/CP.24, 7/CP.25, 15/CP.26, 11/CMA.1 and 19/CMA.1,
Having considered the report on the 42nd meeting of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group,
Underscoring the importance of continued implementation by the Green Climate Fund of the mandate given to it in decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 46,
1. Welcome the progress made by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group in implementing its work programme for 2022–2023, including its provision of support to the least developed countries for developing project concepts for implementing adaptation actions associated with the priorities in their national adaptation plans;
2. Also welcome the successful conduct by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group of the national adaptation plan writing workshop for Asia-Pacific least developed countries held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from 12 to 15 July 2022 and the NAP Expo held in Gaborone, Botswana, from 22 to 26 August 2022;
3. Express their appreciation to the Government of Cambodia for hosting the workshop referred to in paragraph 2 above and the Government of Botswana for hosting the 42nd meeting of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group and NAP Expo 2022 and express their gratitude to the Government of Ireland for providing financial support for the work of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group;
4. Express their appreciation to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group and the secretariat for their valuable work in supporting adaptation in the least developed countries;
5. Also express their appreciation to the organizations that contributed to designing and conducting the workshop referred to in paragraph 2 above;
6. Welcome the progress of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group in developing technical guidelines for the implementation of national adaptation plans4 and note that those guidelines may help to address gaps and needs relating to the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans5 and for informing the design and provision of support for the implementation of national adaptation plans;
7. Note the limited progress of the least developed countries on the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans and the need for enhanced support of the least developed countries to advance the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans;
8. Also note that, as at 14 November 2022, 17 of the 46 least developed countries had submitted a national adaptation plan since the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans was established in 2010, and of those 17 least developed countries with a national adaptation plan, 14 had accessed funding for implementing adaptation actions associated with the priorities identified therein;
9. Reiterate and recall, respectively, decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 46, and note decision -/CP.276 in relation to enhancing support to the least developed countries for the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans;
10. Underscore the importance of developing project pipelines and proposals for implementing adaptation actions associated with the priorities in the national adaptation plans of the least developed countries and encourage relevant organizations, as well as operating entities of the Financial Mechanism, to enhance support to the least developed countries in this regard;
11. Note with appreciation the financial pledges, totalling USD 70.6 million, made by the Governments of Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland and the government of the Walloon Region of Belgium to the Least Developed Countries Fund, and urge additional contributions to the Fund;
12. Request the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to enhance the support provided to the least developed countries for aligning national adaptation plans and nationally determined contributions;
13. Also request the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to continue to support the least developed countries in integrating gender considerations into the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans;
14. Welcome the development by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group of its draft rules of procedure;
15. Adopt the rules of procedure of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group contained in the annex;
16. Encourage the Least Developed Countries Expert Group to prioritize the implementation of the elements of its mandate in accordance with the needs of the least developed countries and the availability of resources;
17. Invite Parties and relevant organizations to continue to provide resources to support implementation of the work programme of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group.
Annex
Rules of procedure of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group
I. Scope
1. These rules of procedure shall apply to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) in conjunction with 5/CP.7, 29/CP.7, 7/CP.9, 4/CP.10, 4/CP.11, 8/CP.13, 6/CP.16, 5/CP.17, 12/CP.18, 3/CP.20, 1/CP.21, 19/CP.21, 16/CP.24, 7/CP.25, 11/CMA.1, 19/CMA.1 and 15/CP.26, as well as any other relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of Parties to the Paris Agreement.
II. Definition of terms
2. For the purpose of these rules of procedure, the following terms and definitions shall be used:
(a) “Convention” means the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
(b) “Chair” means the member of the LEG elected as Chair of the LEG;
(c) “Vice-Chair” means the member of the LEG elected as Vice-Chair of the LEG;
(d) “Rapporteur” means the member of the LEG elected as Rapporteur of the LEG;
(e) “Secretariat” means the secretariat referred to in Article 8 of the Convention;
(f) “Meeting” means the meeting of the LEG;
(g) “Observer” means any entity the LEG may invite to its meetings.
III. Membership, term limits, nomination and rotation of members
3. Pursuant to decision 29/CP.7 and as amended by decision 15/CP.26, paragraph 18, taking into account the goal of gender balance pursuant to decision 23/CP.18, the LEG shall comprise 17 experts, who shall serve in their individual expert capacity and shall be nominated by regional groups and constituencies. The composition of the LEG shall be as follows:
(a) Five members from African States that are least developed countries (LDCs);
(b) Two members from Asia-Pacific States that are LDCs;
(c) Two members from small island developing States that are LDCs;
(d) Four members from the LDC Parties;
(e) Four members from developed country Parties.
4. When nominating members to the LEG, regional groups and constituencies shall take into account, inter alia, expertise in climate change adaptation and support; engagement of youth; experience in climate finance; expertise in project design and implementation, indigenous and traditional knowledge, and education; and gender with a view to ensuring gender balance.
5. Regional groups and constituencies represented on the LEG are encouraged to accommodate the needs of members that would require extended temporary absence from service due to sickness, parental leave and commitments that cannot be avoided, by nominating a temporary replacement to serve during a member’s term of office, before the return of the member to full service.
6. The nominated temporary replacement referred to in paragraph 5 above shall serve within the bounds of the remaining term of the member for a period of no more than 12 months.
7. Members shall serve for a term of three years and shall be eligible to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office.
8. Members shall remain in office for the duration of their term, unless replaced by Parties in their respective groups or constituencies in accordance with paragraphs 5 above and 11 below.
9. The term of office of a member shall start on 1 January unless, in cases where a member is replaced before the end of their term, the term shall start from the time of the replacement member’s nomination by the nominating group or constituency.
10. In case of any vacancy in the LEG owing to the resignation of a member or the non- completion of a member’s assigned term of office, including for the reasons indicated in paragraph 5 above, the LEG, through the secretariat, shall request the respective group or constituency to select another member from the same group or constituency for nomination.
11. If a member is unable to participate in two consecutive meetings of the LEG or is unable to undertake the functions and tasks set out by the Chair for circumstances beyond those referred to in paragraph 5 above, and that member has not communicated a reason for their absence to the Chair or the secretariat, the Chair shall bring the matter to the attention of the LEG and shall seek clarification from the group or constituency that nominated the member on the status of their membership.
12. Members shall serve in their individual expert capacity and shall have no pecuniary or financial interest in the issues under consideration by the LEG.
IV. Election of officers and their functions
13. The LEG shall elect annually the following officers from among its LDC members:
(a) A Chair;
(b) A Vice-Chair;
(c) An anglophone Rapporteur;
(d) A francophone Rapporteur;
(e) A lusophone Rapporteur.
14. The officers shall be elected to serve for a term of two years.
15. To the extent possible, the Chair and the Vice-Chair should be from different United Nations regional groups. Gender balance should also be taken into account when nominating the Chair and the Vice-Chair.
16. The Chair and the Vice-Chair shall be elected by the majority of LDC members present and voting.
17. The Chair shall perform the following functions:
(a) Attending meetings of and reporting to the subsidiary bodies and to the Conference of the Parties and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of Parties to the Paris Agreement, as appropriate;
(b) Chairing and facilitating the meetings of the LEG;
(c) Delegating tasks to LEG members and ensuring that members fulfil their
commitments within specified time frames;
(d) Liaising with the Chair of the LDC Group under the UNFCCC and ensuring strategic engagement with the LDCs;
(e) Representing the LEG when conducting various outreach activities.
18. The Vice-Chair shall represent the Chair in their absence and shall perform the functions listed in paragraph 17 above, as appropriate.
The anglophone Rapporteur shall have the following functions:
(a) Liaising with anglophone LDC Parties;
(b) Keeping records in English of meetings of the LEG.
The francophone Rapporteur shall have the following functions:
(a) Liaising with francophone LDC Parties;
(b) Keeping records of meetings of the LEG in French.
The lusophone Rapporteur shall have the following functions:
(a) Liaising with lusophone LDC Parties;
(b) Keeping records of meetings of the LEG in Portuguese.
If both the Chair and the Vice-Chair are absent from a particular meeting, any other
LDC member designated by the LEG members present shall temporarily serve as Chair of that meeting.
23. If the Chair or the Vice-Chair is unable to complete the assigned term of office, the LEG shall elect a replacement from among the LDC members to complete that term of office.
24. The Chair or any member designated by the LEG shall represent the LEG at external meetings and shall report back to the LEG on those meetings.
25. The LEG may further define additional roles and responsibilities for the Chair, the Vice-Chair and the Rapporteurs.
26. The Chair, the Vice-Chair and the Rapporteurs, in the exercise of their functions, shall remain under the authority of the LEG.
