26 February 1997
ENGLISH ONLY
UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Fifth session
Bonn, 25-28 February 1997
Agenda item 9 (a) and (b)
The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) at its fifth session,
on 25 February 1997, addressed agenda items 9 (a) and (b) on
Arrangements for Intergovernmental Meetings. In the course of
discussions on the Calendar of Meetings for 1997-1999, Tanzania on
behalf of the Group of 77 and China made a statement and requested
that it be reproduced by the secretariat as a miscellaneous
document.
In accordance with the procedure for miscellaneous documents, this
submission is attached and is reproduced in the language in which it
was received and without formal editing.
FCCC/SBI/1997/MISC.2
BNJ.97-
_____________
*In order to make these submissions available on electronic systems, including the World Wide Web, these contributions have been electronically scanned and/or retyped. The secretariat has made every effort to ensure the correct reproduction of the texts as submitted.
On the arrangements for intergovernmental meetings: Calendar of
meetings for 1997 to 1999. Reference document FCCC/SBI/1997/5 and
previous document FCCC/1996/INF.4
(I) The Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate the
following position statement made at the plenary of SBSTA on 18
December 1996:
"The Group of 77 and China would like to call your attention to
the recommendations included in document FCCC/1996/INF.4. More
specifically, the group wishes to state its position regarding the
recommendation thereby included to hold the fourth Conference of the
Parties in the year 1999.
The Group of 77 and China points out that such recommendation runs
against the provisions of the United Framework Convention on Climate
Change. The Convention has clear provisions to this regard in article
7.4, which clearly stipulates that .... ordinary sessions of the COP
shall be held every year unless otherwise decided by the
Conference of the Parties."
Moreover, Article 4.2 (d) on the review of the adequacy of
Articles 4.2 (a) and 4.2 (b), stipulates that the COP should, at its
first session, review the adequacy of subparagraphs (a) and (b)
above, a review which has already taken place, and furthermore that a
second review of subparagraphs (a) and (b) shall take place no later
than 31 December 1998, a review which is still pending.
Given the fact that all Parties to the Convention must abide by
the Convention provisions, and that COP is the only competent
body to do a second review, the fourth Conference of the Parties
must be held no later than 31 December 1998.
(II) Therefore, in line with the relevant provisions of the
Convention, we hereby
- Request that the above mentioned second review, as stipulated in
Article 4.2 (d) be placed on the agenda of the fourth Conference of
the Parties (COP 4) to be held not later than 31 December
1998,
- Request that the Convention secretariat make all the necessary
preparations for the second review by COP 4 of adequacy of Article
4.2 (a) and (b), taking into account the actions taken and progress
made since the adoption of decision 1/CP 1, including a compilation
of relevant excerpts of the additional communications from Annex I
Parties in this regard,
- Further request the secretariat to render all necessary
assistance to, and provide all relevant information to SBI and SBSTA
in making preparations for COP 4 to conduct the aforementioned second
review not later than 31 December 1998, as provided for in Article
4.2 (d) of the Convention.
Finally, we request that this statement be reproduced as a Misc.
document.
Thank you.