What is the APA?

On 12 December 2015, the Conference of the Parties (COP) adopted the Paris Agreement by decision 1/CP.21. The Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) was established by the same decision to prepare for the entry into force of the Paris Agreement and for the convening of the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA).

The mandate of the APA is to prepare draft decisions to be recommended through the COP to the CMA for consideration and adoption at its first session. In particular, the COP requested the APA to develop:

1. Further guidance in relation to the mitigation section of decision 1/CP.21:
   (a)    Features of nationally determined contributions, as specified in paragraph 26;
   (b)    Information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding of nationally determined contributions, as specified in paragraph 28;
   (c)    Accounting for Parties’ nationally determined contributions, as specified in paragraph 31.
2. Further guidance in relation to the adaptation communication, including, inter alia, as a component of nationally determined contributions, referred to in Article 7, paragraphs 10 and 11, of the Paris Agreement;
3. Modalities, procedures and guidelines for the transparency framework for action and support referred to in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement;
4. Matters relating to the global stocktake referred to in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement:
   (a)    Identification of the sources of input for the global stocktake;
   (b)    Development of the modalities of the global stocktake.
5. Modalities  and  procedures  for  the  effective  operation  of the  committee  to  facilitate implementation  and  promote compliance  referred  to  in  Article  15,  paragraph  2, of the Paris Agreement.
6. Further matters related to implementation of the Paris Agreement:
   (a)    Preparing for the convening of the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement;
   (b)    Taking stock of progress made by the subsidiary and constituted bodies in relation to their mandated work under the Paris Agreement and section III of decision 1/CP.21, in order to promote and facilitate coordination and coherence in the implementation of the work programme, and, if appropriate, take action, which may include recommendations.

The COP further requested the APA to complete its work by CMA1.