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ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED JOINTLY (AIJ)

List of Programmes

1. Designated national authority for activities implemented jointly 1. A) Please fill in if not already communicated or if changes have occurred.

Involvement in work to develop the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with cost effective mechanisms for the mutual benefit of all Parties is a key element of Norwegian climate policy. Cooperative efforts under mutually beneficial incentive structures may provide promising opportunities for reinforcing environment and development objectives. Specifically, the report on climate policy to the Parliament in 1995 concludes that Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) will be given priority as an important supplement to measures implemented domestically. To this end, a Governmental Climate Change Fund, established in 1991 and since then replenished on an annual basis, includes provisions for funding AIJ pilot projects and related methodological work. This fund is established separate from and in addition to the development assistance accounts.

The overriding objective for all Pilot Phase activities is to contribute to the assessment of the possible global benefits and national economic, social and environmental impacts associated with Activities Implemented Jointly. The Norwegian programme, constituting workshops with interested host countries and pilot projects on a bilateral and multilateral basis, aims to catalyze opportunities for broad participation among interested Parties and relevant actors with the view to maximizing learning value. In addition to the Governmental fund, private sector involvement in pilot projects may provide further financial and technological resources and practical experience and potentially enlarge the leverage effect of the mechanism of AIJ.

Currently, projects under the AIJ pilot phase are being implemented with Costa Rica, Mexico and Poland. Early 1997, a regional workshop was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and an MoU for carrying out an AIJ project with Burkina Faso signed. Further projects and regional workshops are under development/preparation for consideration and scheduling in 1997/98.
The Norway-Costa Rica (Reforestation and Forest Conservation) AIJ Project is being implemented on a bilateral basis through a cofinancing agreement whereby Norwegian private sector and Governmental funds enable private landholders to manage their lands in consistency with the objectives of the established Costa Rican Forestry Law. The AIJ projects in Mexico (ILUMEX Efficient Light Bulbs), Poland (Coal-to-Gas Conversion) and Burkina Faso (Land Use/Traditional Energy Management) are being carried out under a Norway-World Bank collaborative programme. The Norway-World Bank programme is established with the view to facilitate participation among interested parties and to examine practical and workable solutions to further operationalizing the AIJ pilot phase criteria. The scope of AIJ as a mechanism for stimulating additional resource flows for the protection of the global climate is explored.

Stepwise procedure for project assessment and approval:
1. Individual project proposals are subject to expert reviews and assessed on the basis of the objectives and criteria contained in decision 5/CP.1. Consistency with these objectives and criteria constitutes the eligibility criteria for all projects.
2. Project proposals that are consistent with the objectives and criteria contained in decision 5/CP.1, and require funding in a range which corresponds to the AIJ-funding available, are then reviewed in a broader perspective. Due to the limited size of funding available under the pilot phase, not all projects fulfilling the eligibility criteria can be approved. Portfolio considerations in order to maximize learning value during the pilot phase, thus constitute a decisive factor. The project portfolio is developed with the view to secure a diversified representation in terms of project type (e.g. sectors and technology involved) and geographical regions, both within Annex I and in non-Annex I countries. In addition, private sector participation in order to leverage technology transfer and financing is given high priority.
3. Eligible projects that match with the project portfolio are then presented to an AIJ Project Approval Committee established under the Interministerial Steering Committee for climate change issues. The AIJ Project Approval Committee consists of representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Petroleum and Energy, Environment and Foreign Affairs. Projects approved by the AIJ Project Approval Committee are, subject to comments provided by its members, ready for final negotiation and agreement between the host country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the Governmental authority responsible for commiting financial resources for AIJ projects and approval of AIJ project agreements and reports, will on the basis of the mandate given by the AIJ project approval committee work with host country authorities to finalize a project agreement.

Type of projecta)	Title of activity	Stage of activity	Remarks	GHGs
CO2	CH4	N2O	Other
Energy efficiency	ILUMEX Efficient light bulbs (Mexico)	In progress	Implemented under the Norway-World Bank collaborative program	X	X
Fuel switching	Coal-to-gas boiler conversion (Poland)	In progress	Implemented under the Norway-World Bank collaborative program	X
Afforestation and forest preservation	Reforest. and forest conserv. (Costa Rica)	In progress	Implemented on a bilateral basis. Private sector participation and financing.	X
Land use/energy management	Sustain-able energy (58 kB) (Burkina Faso) (58 kB)	Mutally agreed	To be implemented under the Norway-World Bank collaborative program	X

a) For example using IPCC classification: energy efficiency; renewable energy; fuel switching; forest preservation, restoration or reforestation; afforestation; fugitive gas capture; industrial processes; solvents; agriculture; waste disposal or bunker fuels.

In conjunction with the signing of the Burkina Faso-Norway project, a regional workshop was held in Ouagadougou in February 1997. Reference is made to the Report of the African Regional Workshop on Activities Implemented Jointly under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Further similar regional workshops are scheduled for 1997 in conjunction with projects under preparation.

The Government of Norway has during the Pilot Phase contributed financial resources to, and participated in, a number of international AIJ conferences, seminars and workshops, as well as studies related to methodological issues.