Annex
Revised terms of reference of the Consultative Group of Experts
1. The objective of the Consultative Group of Experts shall be to provide technical advice and support to developing country Parties for enhancing their institutional and technical capacity to prepare and submit national communications, biennial update reports, national greenhouse gas inventories and biennial transparency reports, as applicable, with a view to facilitating improvements in their reporting over time. Taking into account decisions 1/CP.21, paragraph 98, 1/CP.24, paragraphs 38 and 43(a–b), and 18/CMA.1, paragraphs 3– 4, the Consultative Group of Experts shall ensure that it prioritizes its work in a manner that addresses the challenges, constraints and needs of developing country Parties.
2. In fulfilling its mandate to support implementation of the existing measurement, reporting and verification arrangements under the Convention by Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (non-Annex I Parties), the Consultative Group of Experts shall:
(a) Provide, taking into account decision 1/CP.24, paragraphs 38 and 43(a–b), technical assistance and support to non-Annex I Parties to facilitate the process of and the preparation of their national communications2 and biennial update reports in accordance with the “Guidelines for the preparation of national communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention”, contained in the annex to decision 17/CP.8, and the “UNFCCC biennial update reporting guidelines for Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention”, contained in annex III to decision 2/CP.17;
(b) Provide recommendations, as appropriate, on elements to be considered in a future revision of the “Guidelines for the preparation of national communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention”, taking into account the experience of non-Annex I Parties in preparing their national communications;
(c) Provide technical advice and support to Parties, upon request, on the provision of the information to be reported on steps taken to integrate climate change considerations into relevant social, economic and environmental policies and actions in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 1(f), of the Convention;
(d) Provide guidance and periodic advice to the secretariat to assist it in fulfilling the selection criteria for the composition of teams of technical experts, in accordance with decision 20/CP.19, annex, paragraphs 3–5, taking into account the reports provided by the secretariat in this regard on a semi-annual basis;
(e) Continue updating and organizing, as needed, with the assistance of the secretariat, the training programmes for nominated technical experts for the technical analysis of biennial update reports, on the basis of the most up-to-date training materials of the Consultative Group of Experts, with a view to improving the technical analysis, taking into account the experience of non-Annex I Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, in preparing their biennial update reports, and increasing the representation of the least developed countries and small island developing States in teams of technical experts.
3. In fulfilling its mandate to support implementation of the enhanced transparency framework under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement, the Consultative Group of Experts shall:
(a) Facilitate the provision of technical advice and support to developing country Parties, as applicable, including for the preparation and submission of their biennial transparency reports, and facilitate improved reporting over time in accordance with the modalities, procedures and guidelines for the transparency framework for action and support referred to in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement;
(b) Provide technical advice to the secretariat on the implementation of the training for technical expert review teams referred to in decision 18/CMA.1, paragraph 12(c).
4. The Consultative Group of Experts, in providing technical advice and support, should, to the extent possible:
(a) Give special consideration to the least developed countries and small island developing States, including in the context of the need to improve the ability of experts to participate in technical expert reviews;
(b) Identify and take into account, as appropriate, lessons learned and best practices, and the challenges, constraints and needs of developing country Parties in preparing, as appropriate, the reports referred to in paragraph 1 above, including in relation to financial and other support available, as well as the areas for improvement and capacitybuilding needs identified in the technical analyses of biennial update reports and the technical expert review of biennial transparency reports;
(c) Seek to promote sectoral, gender and geographical balance among experts from developing countries eligible to participate in technical expert reviews;
(d) Facilitate the development and long-term sustainability of the processes for preparing, as appropriate and relevant, the reports referred to in paragraph 1 above, including by providing technical advice and support on elaborating appropriate institutional arrangements and establishing and maintaining national technical teams;
(e) Provide, upon request, information on existing activities and programmes, including bilateral, regional and multilateral sources of financial and technical assistance, to facilitate and support the preparation, as appropriate, of the reports referred to in paragraph 1 above.
5. The Consultative Group of Experts should collaborate, to the extent possible, with other expert groups and constituted bodies under the Convention and the Paris Agreement as well as with relevant multilateral programmes and organizations, while avoiding duplication of work.
6. The Consultative Group of Experts shall develop, at its first meeting in 2022, a work programme for 2022–2026.
7. The Consultative Group of Experts shall forward recommendations on the matters referred to in paragraphs 2–3 above for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation, as appropriate.
