Sangchan Limjirakan, Consultive Group of Experts (CGE) Chair (Thailand), recalled that COP15 decided to reconstituted the CGE for a period of three years (2010-2012). She noted that CGE provides technical advice and support for enhancing the capacity building of non-Annex I Parties to: prepare national communications (NC); and provide recommendations on elements to be considered in a future revision. She concluded that: the CGE mandate was ambitious and many areas have not been covered yet; timely resource availability enables timely implementation of planned activities; CGE provided useful technical input to non-Annex I Parties in preparing NCs; GCE continues to liaise with other expert groups and institutions.

Patience Damptey, CGE member (Ghana), highlighted CGE activities for fulfilling its mandate, such as: reviewing and updating CGE training materials; conducting workshops; collecting information via surveys; and preparing technical paper. She noted that CGE is planning for 2012 a number of workshops in Asia, Africa and Latin America and Caribbean Regions, which will have the possibility of on-line remote participation.

Fernando Farias Elies, CGE member (Chile), highlighted discussions on a workshop in Antigua and Barbuda (21-23 March 2011) and exchanged views on possible elements to be considered in a future revision of the UNFCCC guidelines for the preparation of non-Annex I Parties National communications. He noted that such recommendations were forwarded to SBI34, who encouraged parties to take such recommendations in future reviews. He underscored that the survey carried out by GCE enabled it to identify areas of technical problems and constraints and provide recommendation on how to address such problems and constraints.

Matti Numeling, CGE member (Finland), said that CGE recommendations related to institutional, financial, Greenhouse gases (GHG) inventory software, and cross-cutting issues such as capacity building and training. Some recommendations of the workshop were: common challenges and best practices options available to non-Annex I Parties; key elements for facilitating the development and long-term sustainability of the NC processes. He highlighted the importance of continuing the training of non-Annex I Parties' staffs. Numeling underscored the importance of informing and motivating the private sector to carry out GHG inventories. He noted that many countries have already produced their second NC and advised countries to look at their neighbors´ NCs and promote south-south cooperation.

Emmanuel Dlamini, CGE member (Swaziland), noted the need to integrate climate change issues to the countries´environmental policies and point out relevant mitigation and adaptation measures for each country. He highlighted the CGE provides technical advice upon request with information on existing bilateral, regional and multilateral sources of financial and technical assistance to facilitate and support the preparation of NC by non-Annex I Parties.

Michael Brewer, NOAA Satellite and Information Service, said the Report is the most comprehensive global climate information available and that monthly updates can be accessed on the internet. He shared that the purpose of the Report is to survey the changing state and the behavior of the physical climate system and our capacity to observe it. He said the Report includes annual climate for more than 120 countries and territories across the globe. Brewer underlined that the Report includes dozens of variables in five major topics: global climate, global oceans, the tropics, the Arctic and Antarctica. He said the Report uses 41 of the 50 essential climate variables (ECVs) available, such as: air temperature, GHG emissions, Earth radiation budget, water vapor and aerosols; snow and ice cover, glacier and ice sheets; and sea surface temperature, salinity and currents. Brewer informed that the Report was written by a number of authors from 45 nations on six continents. He spoke about the geographical distribution of notable climate anomalies and events occurring around the world in 2010.

Derek Arndt, NOAA and the Report´s lead editor joined the discussion via Skype and encouraged increased participation of African authors and editors.

In the ensuing discussion, participants urged for increasing the participation of African voices; and Brewer clarified that this technical report serves strictly as a scorecard of what is happening and not as a prediction service.

Recalling the wildfire season in Texas caused by the worst possible drought in US history and referring to the partnerships with the Australian government after the multi-year droughts between 2001 and 2007 as well as the worst drought in 60 years in the Horn of Africa, Michael Brewer, NOAA, emphasized the increase in drought severity worldwide. He explained the use of different drought indicators, underscoring the intensification of droughts around the world. Brewer demonstrated the need for improved cooperation, understanding and education to develop an early warning system. He introduced the US drought portal web page as a global monitoring tool combining global remote sensing elements to promote capacity building and to provide a tool for water resource management. He concluded by calling for mitigation strategies for the impacts of drought worldwide.

Mannava Sivakumar, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called for the composition of national drought policies, and suggested steps toward formulation of these policies. He said the absence of a coordinated drought policy leads to crisis management and single agent actions which cannot individually solve the global issue of drought. He emphasized the need for: local incentives, research priorities based on research results that address local needs, service delivery coordination, risk management that is properly addressed and improved stewardship, and recognition of the need for a safety net of emergency relief. He introduced the Compendium of Desirable Elements in National Drought Policy through which countries are encouraged to develop local mitigation strategies. He lamented the fact that only Australia possesses a drought policy, and called for an emphasis on proactive actions and new approaches to develop common understanding, varied approaches and a national framework. To a question about which actions to undertake, he grouped the policies into monitoring, assessment, and relief and response actions and concluded that the time for action is ripe.

Wolfgang Seidel, JISC Vice Chair, spoke about the recommendations from the Committee, including: merging the two tracks to have an unified one; creating a new governing body to oversee the JI process; setting standard procedures and providing a minimum set of rules; harmonizing procedures while still allowing domestic flexibility; and unifying the accreditation process for auditors. He identified key requirements of COP17 to develop: rules regarding JISC after 2012; and JISC guidance issuance in case there is no second commitment period.

In response to questions from the floor, Andrew Howard, Secretary to the CDM Executive Board and JISC member, reiterated the need for a smooth transition to any new JI operational model. He emphasized that new guidance would not apply retroactively and called for a continuation of issuance from CP1 AAUs/RMUs be allowed. He stressed the use of JI as a policy tool that can be used both for international and domestic purposes.

Several participants called for clarification of the future position of JISC and questioned the practicality of continuing the mechanism if no second commitment period was agreed.