Introduction

All Parties must report on the steps they are taking or envisage to undertake to implement the Convention (Articles 4.1 and 12).  In accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" enshrined in the Convention, the required contents of these national communications and the timetable for their submission is different for Annex I and non-Annex I Parties.  Each non-Annex I Party shall submit its initial national communication within three years of the entry into force of the Convention for that Party, or of the availability of financial resources (except for the least developed countries, who may do so at their discretion).more>>

SBI 30, Bonn, June 2009

The SBI took note of the information on financial support provided by the secretariat of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for the preparation of national communications from non-Annex I Parties.

 The SBI invited the GEF to continue to provide information, ensuring that it is detailed, accurate, timely and complete, on its activities relating to the preparation of national communications by non-Annex I Parties, including information on the dates of approval of funding and disbursement of funds, for consideration by the SBI at its thirty-first session.

 The SBI noted with appreciation that 12 second national communications have been submitted by non-Annex I Parties, and that 67 other non-Annex I Parties expect to complete their draft national communications by the end of 2009, while 37 have stated that their draft national communications will be completed by the end of 2010.

 The SBI encouraged those non-Annex I Parties that have already received funding for their second or, where appropriate, third national communications to make all efforts to submit their national communications in accordance with decision 8/CP.11, paragraph 3. Parties that are least developed countries may submit their national communications at their discretion.

 The SBI reiterated the request to the GEF made by the Conference of the Parties (COP) in its decisions 7/CP.13 and 4/CP.14, to assist, as appropriate, non-Annex I Parties in formulating and developing project proposals identified in their national communications in accordance with Article 12, paragraph 4, of the Convention and decision 5/CP.11, paragraph 2. It invited the GEF to report on such submitted or approved project proposals in its report to the COP at its fifteenth session.

 The SBI took note of the proposal from the GEF secretariat to reallocate funds from its fourth replenishment. It urged the GEF, in accordance with decision 4/CP.14, to ensure, as a top priority, that sufficient financial resources are provided to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention, noting and welcoming that a number of non-Annex I Parties plan to initiate the preparation of their third or fourth national communications by the end of the fourth replenishment of the GEF.

 The SBI encouraged non-Annex I Parties to submit project proposals for the funding of their subsequent national communications before completion of their current national communications, in order to avoid a lack of continuity in project financing. 

The SBI noted the concerns expressed by several Parties that the funding provided for national communications through the expedited procedures may not be adequate for some non-Annex I Parties to implement activities that they are to undertake as part of the process of preparation of their national communications.

SBI 29, Poznan, December 2008

The SBI took note of the information on financial support provided by the secretariat of the GEF for the preparation of national communications from non-Annex I Parties.

The SBI invited the GEF to continue to provide information, ensuring that it is detailed and complete, on its activities relating to the preparation of national communications by non-Annex I Parties, including information on the dates of approval of funding and disbursement of funds, for consideration by the SBI 30.

The SBI encouraged those non-Annex I Parties that have already received funding for their second or, where appropriate, third national communications, to make all efforts to submit their national communications in accordance with decision 8/CP.11, paragraph 3.  Parties that are least developed countries may submit their national communications at their discretion.

The SBI reiterated the request of the COP at its thirteenth session to the GEF to continue to ensure that financial resources are provided to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

The SBI recommended that the COP, at its fourteenth session, request the GEF to ensure, as a top priority, that sufficient financial resources are provided to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention, noting and welcoming that a number of non-Annex I Parties plan to initiate the preparation of their third or fourth national communications by the end of the fourth replenishment of the GEF.

The SBI reiterated the request of the COP at its thirteenth session (decision 7/CP.13) to the GEF to refine, as appropriate, operational procedures to ensure the timely disbursement of funds to meet the agreed full costs incurred by those
non-Annex I Parties that are in the process of preparing their third and, where
appropriate, fourth national communications.

The SBI also reiterated the request of the COP at its thirteenth session (decision 7/CP.13) to the GEF to assist, as appropriate, non-Annex I Parties in formulating and developing project proposals identified in their national communications in accordance with Article 12, paragraph 4, of the Convention and decision 5/CP.11, paragraph 2.

The SBI further reiterated the request of the COP, at its thirteenth session (decision 7/CP.13), to invite the GEF to continue to provide information on funding for projects that have been identified in the national communications of non-Annex I Parties in accordance with Article 12, paragraph 4, of the Convention and subsequently submitted and approved.

The SBI reiterated the request of the COP, at its thirteenth session (decision 7/CP.13), to the GEF to work with its implementing agencies to continue to simplify their procedures and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the process through which non-Annex I Parties receive funding to meet their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention, with the aim of ensuring the timely disbursement of funds to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with these obligations.

The SBI recommended that the COP, at its fourteenth session, invite the GEF to inform its implementing agencies of the guidelines for the preparation of national communications from non-Annex I Parties and of relevant provisions of the Convention, in particular its Article 4, paragraph 3, on the provision of new and additional financial resources to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

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