The Conference of the Parties,
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, 11/CMA.1 and 19/CMA.1,
Recognizing Article 4, paragraph 9, of the Convention and the preamble to the Paris Agreement on Parties to it taking full account of the specific needs and special situations of the least developed countries in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology,
Noting the importance of adaptation for the least developed countries and the role of national adaptation plans in addressing national, subnational, sectoral and local, as well as regional and transboundary issues,
Having considered the reports on the 37th, 38th, 39th and 40th meetings of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the report on the stocktaking meeting on the work of the Group, the views of Parties on the work of the Group, and the synthesis report on the progress, need for continuation and terms of reference of the Group and the recommendations contained therein,
Having also considered the views shared by Parties during official events on this matter,
Recognizing the value of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group in providing support for addressing the priority needs of the least developed countries,
Expressing its special appreciation to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group on its twentieth anniversary,
Expressing its appreciation to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group for its successful work in implementing its work programme for 2015–2021 and in supporting the preparation and implementation of national adaptation programmes of action, other elements of the least developed countries work programme, and the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans,
Recognizing the experience of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group in successfully supporting the formulation and implementation of national adaptation programmes of action in the least developed countries,
Also recognizing the value of information provided by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, in collaboration with other constituted bodies under the Convention and the Paris Agreement, to the least developed countries, and of the engagement of a wide range of organizations, including through the Open NAP initiative and the national adaptation plan technical working group, in supporting the least developed countries,
Noting the importance of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group as a body that provides high-quality information on adaptation for the least developed countries,
Recognizing that the least developed countries continue to require support for, inter alia, undertaking the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, applying regional approaches to adaptation, engaging with the Green Climate Fund and implementing the least developed countries work programme,
Noting the need to continue to support the least developed countries in achieving their vision of having produced their first national adaptation plan by the end of 2020 or soon thereafter,
1. Decides to extend the mandate of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (hereinafter referred to as the Group) under its current terms of reference;
2. Also decides that the next review of the mandate of the Group will take place at its thirty-sixth session (2031); 3. Further decides to take stock of the work of the Group in order to review its progress and terms of reference at its thirty-first session (2026), the midway point before the review referred to in paragraph 2 above, as a way to reflect on the evolving needs of the least developed countries;
4. Invites the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement to review the progress of the Group as it relates to implementation of the Paris Agreement at its eighth session (2026) as part of the stocktake referred to in paragraph 3 above;
5. Decides to outline at its twenty-ninth session (November 2024) the steps for the stocktake referred to in paragraphs 3–4 above;
6. Welcomes the efforts of the Group in enhancing the accessibility and transparency of its meetings and information and requests it to continue its efforts, building on the experience of other constituted bodies, while taking into account its nature as a technical expert group, and to provide information on these efforts in its reports;
7. Invites Parties and relevant organizations to continue to provide resources for supporting implementation of the Group’s work programme;
8. Requests the Group to continue to provide technical guidance and support to the least developed countries for advancing the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans, including in relation to the work on improving their access to funding under the Green Climate Fund, to build capacity to measure adaptation outcomes, and to enhance linkages among national adaptation plans, national and subnational development plans and strategies, the Sustainable Development Goals and relevant frameworks;
9. Invites the Group to consider under its workplan the possibility of creating, as needed, thematic working groups to expand its technical support in specific areas, building on the experience and success of its national adaptation plan technical working group and taking into account the ongoing workload of the Group and its available resources;
10. Also invites the Group, in the context of its outreach activities, to share information on relevant sources of finance for adaptation, including sources other than the UNFCCC Financial Mechanism;
11. Requests the Group to continue to support the least developed countries in understanding the modalities for and ways of accessing relevant sources of financing, capacity-building and technology transfer for adaptation in accordance with the Group’s mandate;
12. Also requests the Group, in collaboration with relevant constituted bodies, to assist the least developed countries in addressing adaptation-related provisions of the Convention and the Paris Agreement, including the submission and updating of adaptation communications in accordance with decision 9/CMA.1;
13. Further requests the Group to continue to collaborate with the Standing Committee on Finance on matters relating to access to the Green Climate Fund and other funds under the Financial Mechanism by the least developed countries for funding the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans;
14. Requests the Group to continue to collaborate with the Adaptation Committee and other constituted bodies working on adaptation, as well as on work under the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, in providing support to the least developed countries for the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans and to include information thereon in its reports to the Subsidiary Body for Implementation;
15. Encourages the Group to prioritize elements of its mandate on the basis of the needs of the least developed countries and the availability of resources; 16. Recognizes the positive engagement of a broad range of organizations, networks and experts in supporting the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans through the national adaptation plan technical working group;
17. Requests the Group to mobilize more partners to address specific priority needs of the least developed countries, as appropriate;
18. Decides to adjust the composition of the Group to be as follows: (a) Five members from African States that are least developed countries; (b) Two members from Asia-Pacific States that are least developed countries; (c) Two members from small island developing States that are least developed countries; (d) Four members from the least developed country Parties; (e) Four members from developed country Parties;
19. Requests the Group to develop, taking into account its current practices and its terms of reference, its draft rules of procedure, for consideration and adoption by the Conference of Parties at its twenty-seventh session (November 2022) and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement at its fourth session (November 2022);
20. Also requests the Group to include in its draft rules of procedure provisions on, inter alia, the nomination, term limits and rotation of its members;
21. Encourages Parties, when nominating members to the Group, to take into account, inter alia, gender balance; youth engagement; experience in climate finance; and expertise in project design and implementation, indigenous and traditional knowledge, and education.
