Recent Developments

In 2002 the secretariat prepared a note on methodological issues (FCCC/SBSTA/2002/INF.12) in which it informed about methodological activities being undertaken by the SBSTA, the SBI, the secretariat and the Executive Board of the clean development mechanism.

Elements of methodological work

SBSTA 17 (New Delhi, October 2002) took note of information provided and noted that numerous activities relating to the development of guidelines for reporting information, including national communications, and to the dissemination of information on methods, guidelines, modalities and rules, have been initiated and implemented under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. The SBSTA concluded that the future implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, and the future elaboration of the climate change process would benefit from further consideration of ongoing methodological activities and from the development of a strategic approach to future work.

After SBSTA 17 the secretariat compiled submissions by Parties on their initial views on needs for specific methodological activities and on a strategic approach to future methodological work, for example, what methodological work should be done, how should it be done, who should undertake the work and what are the priorities (FCCC/SBSTA/2003/MISC.3), and prepared a synthesis (FCCC/SBSTA/2003/INF.1).

SBSTA 18 (Bonn, June 2003) initiated discussions on elements of a possible work programme. It noted the need to organize the methodological work in an effective and efficient manner and to prioritise it, taking into account discussions under various agenda items. SBSTA 18 invited Parties to submit, by 15 August 2003, their further views on elements of a possible future work programme. SBSTA 18 requested the secretariat to update the elements of the possible future work programme for consideration by SBSTA 19.

SBSTA 19 (Milan, December 2003) considered the synthesis of proposals by Parties on elements of a future work programme (FCCC/SBSTA/2003/INF.8). It requested the secretariat to organize a workshop in the second half of 2004 on emissions projections of Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (Annex I Parties), as a contribution to the preparation of their fourth national communications.  The workshop would cover methods, assumptions, indicators, key parameters of models and sensitivity analysis, and dissemination of methodologies.  A report on the workshop will be prepared for consideration by SBSTA21.

Furthermore, it invited Parties to submit to the secretariat, by 30 September 2004, information on national systems under Article 5, paragraph 1, of the Kyoto Protocol for the preparation of national GHG inventories. The secretariat, subject to availability of resources, to organize a workshop on this topic in the first half of 2005.  The secretariat to compile information on national systems for the preparation of national GHG inventories included in national inventory reports and inventory review reports as an input to this workshop, as part of its consideration of Articles 5, 7 and 8 of the Kyoto Protocol.

Possible development of a data interface

SBSTA 18 noted the importance of reliable information and considered the proposal for the development of a data interface (FCCC/SBSTA/2003/MISC.3/Add.1). The SBSTA requested the secretariat to prepare a paper taking stock of availability, accessibility and comparability of existing sources of emissions data and relevant socio-economic data, and to develop options for the development, hosting and management of a data interface, including cost implications.

SBSTA 19 reaffirmed the importance of reliable information relevant to climate change and recognized that the secretariat’s Greenhouse Gas Information System is the authoritative repository of greenhouse gas (GHG) data reported by Parties to the Convention.  It requested the secretariat to continue its efforts to improve access to GHG data and other relevant information on the secretariat web site and through other means.

The SBSTA noted the need to improve access by Parties to existing data and analytical tools, with a view to, inter alia, assisting Parties to build their capacity for analysis and decision-making and to implement their commitments under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.  It recognized that the development of a data interface could be an important approach to meeting these needs.

The SBSTA requested the secretariat, subject to the availability of resources, to initiate a scoping phase for consideration of a data interface and to facilitate this by providing links on its web site to the sources of data referenced in document FCCC/SBSTA/2003/INF.9.  The SBSTA invited Parties to submit to the secretariat, by 30 July 2004, their views on a possible data interface and other issues raised in document FCCC/SBSTA/2003/INF.9.  The SBSTA requested the secretariat to provide a synthesis of the views of Parties on the options for development of a data interface contained in document FCCC/SBSTA/2003/INF.9.  The SBSTA decided to continue consideration of this matter at its twenty-first session.

Greenhouse gas inventories

SBSTA 17 also invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to revise the Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC Guidelines), taking into consideration relevant work under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, including work by the SBSTA, the SBI, and the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention, and the technical review of greenhouse gas inventories of Annex I Parties. The ninth session of the Task Force Bureau of the IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Programme noted that views from Parties would assist the IPCC to perform this task. Parties provided in their submissions specific views on the future revision of the Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories. SBSTA 18 invited the IPCC to take note of the above mentioned synthesis document and views submitted by Parties.