Distr.
GENERAL
FCCC/SBSTA/1996/2
5 February 1996
Original: ENGLISH
SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE
Second session
Geneva, 27 February - 4 March 1995
Item 3 of the provisional agenda
1. At its first session, the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and
Technological Advice (SBSTA) requested its Chairman to continue
consultations regarding the establishment of intergovernmental
technical advisory panels on methodologies and technologies
(FCCC/SBSTA/1995/3, para. 29). The SBSTA also requested the
secretariat to compile the submissions received from Parties by 30
October 1995 on this issue.
2. The secretariat received submissions from Fiji, Kuwait,
Nigeria, Spain (on behalf of the European Community), and the United
States of America. These submissions are contained in document
FCCC/SBSTA/1995/MISC.3 and Add.1.
3. The Chairman conducted consultations with representatives of
Parties during the second session of the Ad Hoc Group on the Berlin
Mandate (AGBM), held in Geneva between 30 October and 3 November
1995. Following these consultations, the Chairman of the SBSTA made
available an informal paper on 2 November 1995, during the second
session of the AGBM. The informal paper suggested that a single panel
be established on a provisional basis combining the functions of the
two panels hitherto envisaged. It provided for the composition of the
panel, the nomination process for its members, a roster of experts,
the operations of the panel, and a draft programme of
work.
4. Based on his consultations and further to his informal paper,
the Chairman recommends:
GE.96-
(a) That the draft decision entitled "Establishment of an
intergovernmental technical advisory panel" annexed hereto, including
a work programme with provisional tasks, be considered by the SBSTA
for adoption at its second session;
(b) That the secretariat proceed to invite nominations for the
panel and for a roster of experts to assist with specialized
tasks.
5. The annexed draft decision is based upon the informal paper
distributed by the Chairman during the second session of the AGBM.
The chapeau of the informal paper is embodied in paragraph (1) of the
draft decision and a new paragraph (6) has been added which
authorizes the convening of four meetings during the period
1996-1997. In several cases, the order of the material has been
altered to improve the structure of the paragraphs.
6. The work programme is essential to the establishment of the
panel. Therefore, Parties should carefully consider its elements,
deadlines, and products. The list of provisional tasks that may be
considered for a work programme was developed for the period up to
the third session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3), bearing
in mind the decisions of COP 1, the AGBM process, and the special
needs of the Parties for information on methodologies and innovative
and environmentally sound technologies. This list does not follow a
particular order of importance or urgency.
7. The work programme that the SBSTA adopts should reflect the
most important needs of the Convention bodies, as well as the limited
resources and the relatively short period in which to carry out the
work. Parties may wish to limit the work programme initially to just
a few (for example, 3-5) methodological and technological tasks, with
others addressed as part of a long-term programme, if the panel is
made permanent. In this regard, Parties should note that several of
the provisional tasks, particularly Nos. 4, 5, and possibly 6 and 8,
are related to potential revisions of guidelines and methods for
preparing national communications (FCCC/SBSTA/1996/3/Add.1). The
SBSTA may wish to take into account that information from these tasks
would be needed by the fourth session of the SBSTA, at the latest,
since this will be the last session at which the SBSTA may adopt
technical modifications to the guidelines and methods for national
communications due in April 1997. Elements Nos. 1, 2 and 7 represent
a deepening of the technology inventory and assessment activities
initiated by decision 13/CP.1.(1) In
considering these potential activities, Parties may wish to refer to
the discussion contained in the initial report prepared by the
secretariat on the technology inventory and assessment
(FCCC/SBSTA/1996/4). The report identifies questions concerning the
use of information on technologies that may be helpful in considering
priorities. Furthermore, the priority of task 3 on the technological
aspects of policy guidance to the Global Environment Facility (GEF),
needs to be assessed.
8. Elements Nos. 2 (a), 10 and 11 were included in the list with
the expectation that the Parties would identify special topics of
particular interest during discussions at the third session of the
AGBM or at the second session of the SBSTA on the Second Assessment
Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and
the in-depth review reports. As with the topics identified above,
Parties should carefully consider whether the aspects of the IPCC
report and the in-depth review reports would be appropriate for
immediate or longer term consideration by the panel, and, if so, what
aspects should be dealt with.
9. Some other aspects of the operations of the panel would need to
be addressed:
(a) At its third session, the SBSTA would have to consider a
proposal by its Bureau regarding a list of nominees before a formal
meeting of the panel could be held. However, it would be desirable
for the panel to hold an informal organizational meeting before that
session, so that a preliminary report could be made available for COP
2. The secretariat could begin to transmit relevant information to
the nominees as soon as they are identified by the
Bureau;
(b) There is a provision of about US$250,000 annually for the
panels in the budget of the Trust Fund for Participation in the
UNFCCC Process. This figure was based on two panels of which 10
members would be funded for two meetings per year, or a similar
combination. It was also assumed that meetings would take place
outside the sessions of the SBSTA or the COP. However, some tasks,
such as reviewing reports, could be undertaken without the need for
meetings and all possible means would be utilized to communicate
information among the members outside the meetings. The adequacy of
this provision will need to be reviewed once decisions are taken on
the number and frequency of panel meetings, participation therein,
and the tasks to be performed;
(c) With respect to the way in which the panel will be organized,
there are several aspects to be considered. First, the panel would
report to the SBSTA and the tasks it undertakes would be those
identified by the SBSTA. Second, the panel should be responsible for
the technical content of its reports and how they are produced. In
this context, the panel would act independently. Finally, the panel
may need to function in different modes. On occasion, for instance,
the panel may simply review and comment on reports prepared by
others; at other times, it may review information from various
sources and prepare its own report. An example of the former could be
the IPCC inventory methodologies, while an example of the latter
could be an assessment of non-grid electrical supply systems for
Parties not included in Annex I;
(d) Whether the panel would make "recommendations" to the SBSTA
would depend upon the needs of the SBSTA. The SBSTA may wish to
specify whether it prefers to receive a synthesis report, options,
recommendations, or any other form of information. In all cases
reports would be advisory and it would be for the SBSTA to decide how
to use them.
The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice,
Recalling the relevant provisions of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular, Articles 9 and
4.1(c) and (e),
Pursuant to the relevant decisions of the Conference of
the Parties at its first session, in particular, decisions 3, 4, 5, 6
and 13, and to the relevant conclusions of the Ad Hoc Group on the
Berlin Mandate (FCCC/AGBM/1995/2/conclusions (j),(k) and
(l)),
1. Decides that:
(a) An intergovernmental technical advisory panel on methodologies
and technologies is hereby established on a provisional basis,
functioning under the terms of reference of the Subsidiary Body for
Scientific and Technological Advice, decision 6/CP.1. It will
implement the initial programme of work, on the basis of the list of
tasks attached hereto. The future operations of the panel will be
reviewed by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice in 1997. The members of the panel will serve for the period
leading up to the third session of the Conference of the Parties;
they will be technical and scientific experts, advising in their
personal capacities;
(b) The panel shall be composed of twenty experts: two from each
of the five United Nations regional groups, five from Annex I
Parties, and five from non-Annex I Parties. The panel shall be
co-chaired by two of its members, one from the Parties listed in
Annex I to the Convention and one from the non-Annex I
Parties;
(c) Each regional group shall identify two Parties to propose one
or more experts for the panel, taking into account the initial work
programme. The Annex I and non-Annex I Parties may either identify
Parties from their respective groups to propose one or more experts
or they may directly propose experts for the panel. A full curriculum
vitae of each proposed expert shall be provided. The Bureau of the
Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice shall propose
a list of experts as members of the panel, for consideration by that
subsidiary body, taking into account the need for representation of
the different areas of expertise, bearing in mind the work programme,
and, as necessary, consulting with the Parties and/or groups of
Parties;
(d) The terms of the panel members may be extended, taking into
account the need for stability, the need to rotate members, and the
review by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice
in 1997;
(e) A roster of experts, nominated by Parties, shall be maintained
for specialized tasks that cannot be undertaken by panel members.
Each Party may nominate up to ten experts for the roster and will
provide a full curriculum vitae of each nominee;
(f) The panel shall organize its own work to address the work
programme, within the limits of the resources available. The panel
may seek advice from other competent international bodies to
facilitate its work. Reports from the panel shall be advisory; they
will be circulated to all Parties prior to their consideration by the
Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice. The panel
shall operate in a cost-effective manner, taking advantage of all
possible means to communicate among members and to facilitate its
work.
2. Authorizes its Bureau to convene an initial informal
panel meeting, as soon as practicable before its third session,
recognizing that all nominees are subject to confirmation at that
session, and further authorizes two meetings of the panel to be held
in both 1996 and 1997.
3. Notes that funding for participation in the panel
meetings shall be offered to expert participants from eligible
Parties in accordance with normal practice and subject to the
availability of resources.
This work programme responds to decisions of the first session of
the Conference of the Parties, and to the conclusions of the Ad Hoc
Group on the Berlin Mandate (AGBM) and the Subsidiary Body for
Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). The list is provisional
and may be modified at future sessions of the SBSTA. The SBSTA is
invited to indicate priorities within this list by filling in the
column "possible deadline", and to further specify expected products.
The future operations of the panel will be reviewed by the SBSTA in
1997.
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. Technology inventory |
|
|
|
|
2. Assessment of specific innovative technologies
for: (a) Needs identified by the AGBM (b) Annex I Parties (e.g., transport) (c) Non-Annex I Parties (e.g., non-grid electrical supply
systems) (d) All Parties Use of renewables Enhancing the capacity of sinks |
|
|
|
|
3. Technological aspects of policy guidance to the Global Environment Facility |
|
|
|
|
4. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change inventory methodologies for all sources and sinks |
|
|
Technical recommendations |
|
5. Technical aspects of national communications (e.g., statistical adjustments, electricity transfers) |
|
|
Technical recommendations for national communications |
|
6. Technical aspects of activities implemented jointly |
|
|
|
|
7. Adaptation technologies and processes |
|
|
|
|
8. Methods for projecting and estimating the effects of measures (on national emissions) (2) |
|
|
Draft guidance document (as appropriate models and measures) |
|
9. Information on terms under which transfer of technology could take place |
|
|
|
|
10. Aspects of the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as indicated by the SBSTA |
|
|
|
|
11. Aspects of national communications and in-depth reviews as indicated by the SBSTA |
|
|
|
1. For decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its first session, see document FCCC/CP/1995/7/Add.1.
2. * On the assumption that the IPCC focuses on aggregate effects of global measures.