UN Climate Change News, 8 October 2026 - The Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) concluded its 15th meeting in Bonn in September, as countries move through the first cycle and embark on the second cycle of reporting under the enhanced transparency framework (ETF). The meeting reviewed progress in supporting developing countries with their transparency efforts, and identified priorities for making that support more targeted, practical and responsive to evolving needs.
Throughout 2026, the CGE has advanced its 2026 workplan and 2026-2029 work programme, drawing on countries' reporting experience and capacity-building needs to develop technical guidance, strengthen skills and support peer learning.
Turning country experience into practical support
A central focus of the CGE's work this year has been translating countries' experience with ETF implementation into practical support.
The CGE published two compilations of examples drawn from submitted biennial transparency reports (BTRs): one on indicators for tracking progress towards nationally determined contributions (NDCs), covering mitigation and adaptation; and another on the application of flexibility provisions under the ETF modalities, procedures and guidelines.
Its latest assessment of capacity-building needs also highlighted persistent challenges in areas including greenhouse gas inventories, institutional arrangements and data systems, adaptation reporting, NDC tracking and reporting on support.
The CGE also took this practical approach in three regional hands-on training workshops in 2026 that brought together 114 participants from 85 developing country Parties. The workshops combined technical sessions, country experience-sharing and practical exercises, covering BTR preparation, adaptation reporting, institutional arrangements, flexibility, improvement planning, and participation in the technical expert review and facilitative, multilateral consideration of progress processes.
The CGE continued to support the BTR review process, providing technical advice to the secretariat on the training programme for BTR reviewers and the composition of technical expert review teams.
Collaboration with four other UNFCCC constituted bodies and six transparency support providers also helped connect CGE activities with complementary expertise and initiatives.
