Recent developments (continuation)

COP 18, (Dec. 2012 in Doha, Qatar), adopted the common tabular format for the “UNFCCC biennial reporting guidelines for developed country Parties” (FCCC/CP/2012/L.12).  Developed
country Parties shall use the reporting guidelines for the preparation of their biennial reports. First biennial reports are due 1 January 2014.

COP18/CMP8 also adopted  COP decision 20/CP.18 on the "Status of submission and review and compilation and synthesis of fifth national communications from Parties inccluded in Annex I to the Convention and a CMP decision 7/CMP.8 on the "Supplementary information incorporated in national communications from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention that are also Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and submitted in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 2, of the Kyoto Protocol, which had been forwarded to these bodies by SBI 36.

SBI 37 (Doha) took note of the status of submission and review of fifth national communications (FCCC/SBI/2012/INF.11).  All national communications received so far have been reviewed and review reports have been posted on the UNFCCC website. 

SBSTA 37 (Doha) concluded with the adoption of a work programme for the revision of review guidelines in 2013 and 2014 (FCCC/SBSTA/2012/L.28). According to the work programme, the review guidelines for national communications and biennial reports will be developed and adopted by the end of 2013, and the revised review guidelines for GHG inventories will be adopted by the end of 2014. These review guidelines will lay a solid foundation for the upcoming international assessment and review (IAR) commencing in 2014.

Workshop on a common tabular format for the “UNFCCC biennial reporting guidelines for developed country Parties”
11-12 October 2012, UN Campus, Langer Eugen (Room 1916), Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10, Bonn, Germany
The report, agenda and the background documents can be found here.


SBSTA 36 (Bonn, May 2012)

The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), at its thirty-sixth session agreed upon the Work programme on a common reporting format for the “UNFCCC biennial reporting guidelines for developed country Parties” as contained in Annex I decision 2/CP.17. During the session, Parties provided views on the content of the common tabular format for electronic reporting. Based on these views, the co-chairs prepared a non-paper (434 kB) . The purpose of this non-paper is to provide input for further considerations by Parties on this matter.

COP17, SB 35 (Durban, December 2011)

Critical decisions were reached in Durban to further strengthen the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) framework for Annex I Parties. These will contribute important elements to the post-2012 global mitigation regime, and form the basis for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol (KP) beyond its first commitment period. 

In the context of the future mitigation regime under the Convention, governments reached breakthrough decisions for Annex I Parties MRV framework. Parties agreed to adopt the UNFCCC biennial reporting (BR) guidelines and the modalities and procedures for international assessment and review (IAR). In addition, the process and timeline for revisions of these guidelines and guidelines for reporting and for review of national communications were set. 

The progress on MRV was significant and this creates a certainty among Parties and other stakeholders in the UNFCCC process that developed countries are approaching their post-2012 commitments under the Convention, including those relating to targets and financial resources with a sense of responsibility and accountability. Crucial for the further development of the MRV framework for Annex I Parties is the work under the SBSTA on the common reporting formats for biennial reports and the revision of the review guidelines for biennial reports and the national communications. 

In Durban, the secretariat organized a side event related to MRV, at which the conference participants were presented with insights into reporting of policies and measures, projections as well as support provided to developing countries.

Under the AWG-LCA, in Panama (October 2011), the Parties advanced on the content of the biennial reports (BR) and on the modalities and procedures for international assessment and review (IAR). Based on the Parties views provided, the co-facilitators have prepared the draft texts on the elements for the reporting guidelines for BR, with the view to strengthen the reporting by Annex I Parties, in particular, on the provision of support and on the monitoring of the progress towards GHG emission reduction targets. Also, the draft text was prepared on the elements for modalities and procedures for IAR and the constructive discussion was held on the objectives, scope and process of the IAR. Parties have submitted further views on BR and IAR to the secretariat and will continue advancing on the draft texts in Durban.

COP 15, SBI 31 (Copenhagen, December 2009):

Under the agenda item ‘National communications and greenhouse gas inventory data from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention’, the SBI began its consideration of the date of submission of the NC6s of Annex I Parties and agreed to set this date at its thirty-second session and to forward a draft decision on this matter for adoption by the COP at its sixteenth session.  The SBI also agreed to continue its consideration of the other matters relating to the status of the review of fourth national communications and preparations for the review of fifth national communications at its thirty-second session.

COP 13, CMP 3, SBI 27 (Bali, December 2007):

Under the agenda item 'National communications and greenhouse gas inventory data from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention', the SBI considered the sub-item 'Compilation and synthesis of fourth national communications'. It had before it documents FCCC/SBI/2007/INF.6 and Add.1 and 2, which contains the compilation and synthesis report of the NC4 and RDPs. Following a recommendation of the SBI, the COP emphasized that the national communications and annual greenhouse gas inventories submitted by Annex I Parties are the main source of information for reviewing the implementation of the Convention by these Parties, and that the reports from the in-depth reviews of these national communications provide important additional information for this purpose,and welcomed the work of the secretariat in preparing the compilation and synthesis report on fourth national communications. It requested Annex I Parties to submit to the secretariat a fifth national communication by 1 January 2010, with a view to submitting the sixth national communication four years after this date, and concluded that the review of the national communications and consideration of the outcomes of this review have proved to be useful and should continue in accordance with decisions 2/CP.1, 6/CP.3 and 11/CP.4. It further decided that national communications can be submitted to the secretariat in electronic format only. The CMP further requested Annex I Parties that are also Parties to the Kyoto Protocol to include, in their fifth national communications, the necessary supplementary information required under the guidelines for reporting supplementary information under Article 7, paragraph 2, of the Kyoto Protocol contained in the annex to decision 15/CMP.1, in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 2, of the Kyoto Protocol.

COP 12, CMP 2, SBI 25 (Nairobi, November 2006):

Under the agenda item 'National communications from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention', the SBI considered the sub-item 'Synthesis of reports demonstrating progress in accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Kyoto Protocol'. It had before it document FCCC/SBI/2006/INF.7, which provides information on the status of submission and review of the NC4 and RDPs. As informal consultations on this issue could not reach agreed conclusions, the SBI agreed to forward the item to the twenty-sixth session of the SBI (May 2007). The views of the Group of 77 and China submitted during the session are contained in document FCCC/SBI/2006/MISC.17.

COP 11, CMP 1,  SBI 23 (Montreal, December 2005): 

The SBI considered options for the review process, based on a note prepared by the secretariat on streamlining review processes under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol (FCCC/SBI/2005/16). The SBI prepared draft decisions to the COP and CMP on this matter. The SBI also took note of a status report on the review of third national communications (FCCC/SBI/2005/INF.9).

The COP adopted  decision 7/CP.11 entitled “Review processes during the period 2006–2007 for Parties included in Annex I to the Convention” , recognizing that streamlining of the review procedures is required during the period 2006–2007 in order to ensure the effective use of resources needed to meet additional review requirements for Annex I Parties that are also Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. It requested the secretariat to organize a centralized review of fourth national communications, and an in-country, in-depth review of the fourth national communication for those Parties that request one. It also requested the secretariat to prepare the compilation and synthesis report on fourth national communications for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth session (December 2007). The CMP, by its decision 26/CMP.1, requested the secretariat to prepare the compilation and synthesis of supplementary information included in fourth national communications, in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 2, of the Kyoto Protocol, submitted by Annex I Parties to the Convention that are also Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, for consideration at its third session (December 2007).