As part of the ongoing
Climate Dialogues, the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) held its 2020 informal
forum on 26 November 2020 to showcase its achievements in 2020, and engage with
and seek feedback from its key stakeholders.
In opening the forum, both the Chair of
the Subsidiary Body of Implementation (SBI), Ms. Marianne Karlsen and the
Deputy Executive Secretary for UNFCCC, Mr. Ovais Sarmad, highlighted the
important role played by the CGE in building capacities of developing country Parties
to implement the measurement, reporting
and verification (MRV) arrangements under the Convention and to prepare for the
transition to the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement.
They noted that as countries prepare for enhanced climate ambition,
transparency will play a greater role towards accelerated implementation. As
such, they iterated the importance of the informal forum, where participants
would learn more about the work of the CGE, and the CGE would receive feedback and
suggestions from key stakeholders, in particular on how the CGE could improve
the provision of its support to developing country Parties.
Ms. Jenny Mager, representing COP 25 Presidency,
also appreciated the important role and the work undertaken by the CGE as being
critical to the achievement of the Paris Agreement goals. On her part, Ms. Eve
Deaken, who represented the incoming COP 26 Presidency, indicated that the UK
would seek and urge the Parties to finalise the outstanding work (negotiations)
on the ETF, and clearly define the kind and level of support required for
developing countries to participate in the ETF processes.
The informal forum attracted over 300 participants
from across the globe. The participants included country experts
and policy makers who are the key drivers of MRV/transparency efforts at the
national level, and the key bilateral and multilateral agencies, who provide
financial and/or technical support on MRV/transparency.
The CGE showcased its achievements in 2020,
which included the knowledge products it developed, and the virtual training workshops, webinars and platforms for peer exchange it offered.
The CGE also shared the key findings from its assessment on needs and gaps of developing
country Parties. Some of needs expressed by participants during the session included:
continued technical support on enhancing institutional arrangements and data
management systems; formulation of indicators for tracking progress of
implementing and achieving NDCs; preparation of BTRs; technical support in
using the 2006 IPCC guidelines for national GHG inventories; and development of
M&E system for NAPs.
In closing
the forum, the Chair of the CGE, Mr. Arif Goheer, expressed his appreciation to
the participants for joining the event and sharing their views. Mr. Goheer noted
that the informal forum had provided important feedback directly from the CGE
target audiences, which would help the CGE in ensuring that its technical
support addresses the state of play, priorities, constraints, gaps and needs.
He assured the participants that the CGE would consider the suggestions
provided, when formulating its annual work plan for 2021.
A channel to provide
your suggestions to the CGE remains open until 4 December 2020. Go to www.menti.com and use the code 3012323. Presentations made
during the informal forum and its recording will be shared here, and a procedural
summary of CGE informal forum will also be shared on the CGE webpage https://unfccc.int/CGE soon.