The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling Article 4, paragraphs 1, 3 and 7, and Article 12, paragraphs 1, 4, 5 and 7, of the Convention,
Also recalling Article 13, paragraphs 1, 14 and 15, of the Paris Agreement,
Further recalling decisions 8/CP.5, 3/CP.8, 17/CP.8, 5/CP.15, 1/CP.16, 2/CP.17, 14/CP.17, 17/CP.18, 18/CP.18, 19/CP.19, 20/CP.19, 1/CP.21, 20/CP.22, 11/CP.24 and 14/CP.26,
Recalling decision 18/CMA.1, paragraph 15,
Recognizing that the Consultative Group of Experts plays an important role in facilitating the provision of technical advice and support to developing country Parties and in facilitating improved reporting over time, as applicable, in relation to the preparation and submission of national communications, biennial update reports, national greenhouse gas inventories and biennial transparency reports, as relevant,
Also recognizing the special circumstances of the least developed countries and small island developing States in accordance with Article 13, paragraph 3, of the Paris Agreement,
1. Emphasizes that the Consultative Group of Experts plays a dual role in that it serves both the Convention and the Paris Agreement and that it shall continue to provide technical advice and support to developing country Parties for fulfilling their reporting obligations under the Convention and the Paris Agreement;
2. Decides that the term of the Consultative Group of Experts will continue;
3. Also decides that the Consultative Group of Experts shall be composed of 27 members as follows, noting that members shall be nominated by their respective regional groups:
(a) Two from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention;
(b) Six from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention, noting that these seats shall be equally distributed among the three regional groups of Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention referred to in paragraph 3(d–e) and (g) below;
(c) One from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention from Eastern European States;
(d) Three from African States;
(e) Three from Asia-Pacific States;
(f) One from Eastern European States;
(g) Three from Latin American and Caribbean States;
(h) Three from Western European and other States;
(i) One from the least developed countries;
(j) One from small island developing States;
(k) One from each of three international organizations with relevant experience in providing technical assistance to Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention and developing country Parties in the preparation of national communications, biennial update reports and biennial transparency reports;
4. Further decides that the Consultative Group of Experts shall be composed of experts drawn from the UNFCCC roster of experts with expertise in at least one of the sections of national communications, biennial update reports and biennial transparency reports in accordance with the relevant guidelines;
5. Encourages regional groups, the least developed countries and small island developing States, in nominating their experts to the Consultative Group of Experts, to make every effort to ensure balanced representation in the areas of expertise referred to in paragraph 4 above, and to take into account gender balance in accordance with decisions 36/CP.7 and 23/CP.18;
6. Decides that the members of the Consultative Group of Experts shall remain in office until their successors are elected and that, in such cases, the Consultative Group of Experts shall notify, via the secretariat, the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation thereof;
7. Also decides that the terms of service of the Chair and the Rapporteur of the Consultative Group of Experts shall remain unchanged from the guidance set out in paragraph 6 of the annex to decision 3/CP.8;
8. Adopts the revised terms of reference of the Consultative Group of Experts contained in the annex;
9. Decides that the provisions in this decision and the revised terms of reference of the Consultative Group of Experts shall become effective on 1 January 2026;
10. Requests the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to initiate consideration of the composition of the Consultative Group of Experts and its terms of reference at its seventyeighth session (2033), taking into account the needs of developing countries for capacitybuilding in relation to reporting under the Convention and the Paris Agreement, with a view to recommending draft decisions on these matters for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its thirty- eighth session (2033);
11. Also requests the secretariat to facilitate the work of the Consultative Group of Experts pursuant to this decision;
12. Takes note of the estimated budgetary implications of the activities to be undertaken by the secretariat referred to in paragraph 11 above;
13. Requests that the actions of the secretariat called for in this decision be undertaken subject to the availability of financial resources.
