Issues and Options for the Modalities, Deliverables, and Composition of the GGA Technical Task Force Discussion Paper

The adoption of the Belém Adaptation Indicators (BAI) at the 7th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA7) marked an important milestone toward measuring progress of the targets of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience (UAE Framework). However, according to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, almost 90 percent of the BAI are not ready to be applied because global methodologies to calculate them are only partially available or missing.1 Based on the length of metadata sheets for the indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the BAI metadata could comprise 60–1,200 pages (10–20 pages per indicator), which underscores the detailed technical work required.

At 64th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64), Parties failed to reach agreement on the Technical Task Force that is mandated to be established to develop methodologies and metadata for the BAI, largely over disputes over the taskforce’s composition. This disagreement has delayed the process of operationalizing the BAI and could weaken the assessment of adaptation in future global stocktakes (GST).

In order for Parties to use the BAI in their third Biennial Transparency Report (BTR), the indicators need to be operationalized as soon as possible. To help resolve the current gridlock around the GGA Technical Task Force, it would be useful to clarify its scope and mandate across three areas where decisions are still needed:

Composition: Establish a clear division of responsibilities between negotiators and technical experts, while ensuring balance across regions, gender, and areas of expertise. Parties could consider a membership that is half the size of the former expert group under the UAE–Belém work programme on indicators.

Modalities: Provide clear political steering and an effective process for developing metadata and methodologies, including through collaboration with relevant organizations, constituted bodies, and knowledge holders.

Deliverables: Develop metadata and methodologies using a common template, drawing wherever possible on existing methodologies, frameworks, and relevant technical work.