Intersessional Activities, Ad-Hoc Expert Groups
Approaches and Mechanisms for Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting

Ad hoc expert group on approaches and mechanisms for monitoring, assessment
and reporting

Scope and work programme
Tasks
Travel assistance
Officers
Duration of work
Meeting
Proposals and recommendations for consideration by the Forum
Reports
Secretariat

Scope and work programme

The ad hoc expert group shall provide scientific and technical advice to the United Nations Forum on Forests on approaches and mechanisms for the work of the Forum on monitoring, assessment and reporting. Its work should be undertaken within the context of Economic and Social Council resolution 2000/35 and relevant resolutions adopted by the Forum at its sessions, and should also consider, inter alia, related intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF)/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) proposals for action and the outcomes of Forum sessions, including its reports.

Tasks

For monitoring, assessment and reporting on progress in implementing IPF/IFF proposals for action and progress towards sustainable forest management, the ad hoc expert group will:

• Assess existing reporting requirements under relevant international conventions, processes, instruments and organizations in order to identify strengths, weaknesses and duplication in reporting processes, taking into account the relevant work undertaken by Collaborative Partnership on Forests members;



• Assess existing monitoring and assessment procedures in international conventions, processes, instruments and organizations related to forests in order to identify strengths, weaknesses and duplications, taking into account the relevant work undertaken by Collaborative Partnership on Forests members;



• Propose ways for the Forum to monitor and assess progress, based on:
  • Voluntary reporting by countries on implementing the IPF/IFF proposals for action;
  • Voluntary reporting by Collaborative Partnership on Forests members and other relevant organizations and international and regional processes on implementing the IPF/IFF proposals for action;
  • Ongoing work on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management being undertaken at the national, regional and international levels;
  • Existing data and information, as well as reporting systems and structures;
  
  
  
• Propose an outline for voluntary reporting to the Forum;



• Recommend options for drawing upon the reports provided to Forum sessions to identify trends and lessons learned;



• Develop recommendations on how to build capacity in countries, including the increase of resources for that goal, for monitoring, assessment and reporting, taking into account the special needs of developing countries.

Composition and participation

The ad hoc expert group shall be composed of 30 experts, six from each of the five United Nations regional groups.

The experts shall have well-recognized scientific and technical expertise in monitoring, assessment and reporting, and knowledge of the intergovernmental forest policy deliberations of IPF, IFF and the Forum.

Representatives of the United Nations Forum on Forests member States shall be allowed to participate in the first two days of the meeting of the ad hoc expert group and remain as observers for the last three days of the meeting.

The Collaborative Partnership on Forests shall be invited to make scientific and technical contributions to the work of the ad hoc expert group to support the work of the ad hoc expert group in a resource capacity.

Intergovernmental organizations and representatives of major groups, with relevant expertise, may participate in the meeting, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council, as well as practices established by the Commission on Sustainable Development, IPF and IFF. They may be invited to make scientific and technical contributions.

Travel assistance

Travel support and a daily subsistence allowance at established United Nations rates will be provided to each of the experts, if the budget allows, with priority to developing countries, particularly least developed countries, as well as countries with economies in transition.

Officers

The chairman of the ad hoc expert group shall be elected from among the experts at its meeting.

Duration of work

The ad hoc expert group shall initiate its work after the third session of the Forum and complete its work at least three months in advance of the fourth session of the Forum.

Meeting

The ad hoc expert group will hold one meeting for up to five days before the end of 2003. It will use electronic means of communication to the greatest extent possible. The ad hoc expert group meeting will be organized at a United Nations venue where meeting facilities are available, preferably in New York, taking into account cost-effectiveness. To the extent possible, the ad hoc expert group will hold its meeting back to back with the meeting of the ad hoc expert group on finance and transfer of environmentally sound technologies.

Proposals and recommendations for consideration by the Forum

The proposals and recommendations of the ad hoc expert group should be provided by consensus. In the absence of consensus, the report of the ad hoc expert group shall fully reflect the diversity of views expressed.

Reports

The ad hoc expert group prepares its report, taking into consideration the views of all participants and contributions received, and shall submit its report to the Forum at its fourth session for consideration. The report shall specify the major outcomes of the ad hoc expert group’s work, including proposals and recommendations for further consideration by the Forum.

Secretariat

The Forum secretariat serves as the secretariat for the ad hoc expert group, supported by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests.