This issue concerns the adverse impacts on developing countries both of climate change and of response measures aimed at mitigating climate change.

Article 4.8 of the Convention calls on Parties to consider actions to meet the needs and concerns of developing countries in this regard, and lists categories of countries (e.g. small island countries and countries whose economies are highly dependent on fossil fuel) that may be particularly affected.

Article 4.9 in turn refers specifically to the needs and special situations of the least developed countries concerning funding and the transfer of technology.

Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol echoes the Convention provisions on this issue by requiring Annex I Parties to strive to implement their emission targets in such a way as to minimize adverse social, environmental and economic impacts on developing countries, particularly those identified in Article 4.8 and 4.9. It also calls on COP/MOP 1 to consider what actions are necessary to minimize such adverse impacts.

Negotiations on Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention started in the context of the negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol. At COP 3, Parties adopted decision 3/CP.3, which requested the SBI to launch a process to identify actions needed to meet the needs of developing countries specified under Article 4.8 and 4.9 arising from the adverse effects of climate change and the impact of response measures. At COP 4, Parties adopted a work programme on this issue, culminating at COP 6.
Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol was first placed on the agenda for consideration as a separate item at COP 5. At that session, Parties decided to consider this item further at COP 6 in order to develop input for COP/MOP 1.

Thus far, negotiations on both Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention and Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol have been conducted in the same contact group convened jointly by the SBSTA and the SBI.
An expert workshop was held in Bonn, on 21-24 September 1999, as part of the work programme adopted at COP 4. In addition, in response to a request made at COP 5, two workshops were held in Bonn, on the adverse effects of climate change (9-11 March 2000) and on the impact of the implementation of response measures (13-15 March 2000). Informal consultations were also held in Bonn, on 23-25 August 2000 to assist the Chairmen of the subsidiary bodies in preparing a new text for SBSTA/SBI 13, part I.

At SBSTA/SBI 13 part I (Lyon, Sept), Parties worked on the text prepared by the Chairmen of the subsidiary bodies, which put forward options for addressing the concerns of developing countries over the adverse effects of climate change and the impact of the implementation of response measures. A key issue for debate was whether a single decision should be adopted at COP 6, encompassing work on Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention and Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol, or whether two decisions should be taken, one for the Convention Articles and one for Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol.

Debates in Lyon resulted in a revised text (see FCCC/SBI/2000/10/Add.1), which will serve as the basis for negotiations at SBSTA/SBI 13 part II in The Hague in November.

In response to a statement made by a representative of the least developed countries, Parties also requested the secretariat to organize a workshop for these countries before COP 6, to discuss their special situation and needs.

Informal consultations on this item were held in Geneva on 19-21 October.