Distr.

LIMITED

FCCC/SBI/1998/L.2

9 November 1998

Original: ENGLISH

SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Ninth session

Buenos Aires, 3-10 November 1998

Agenda item 4

Paragraphs Page

I. OPENING OF THE SESSION

(Agenda item 1)

II. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

(Agenda item 2)

A. Adoption of the agenda

B. Organization of work

C. Election of officers

III. MATTERS REFERRED TO THE SBI BY THE PLENARY

OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES

(Agenda item 3)

A. Calendar of meetings of Convention bodies 2000-2001

EZE.98-

Paragraphs Page

B. National communications from Parties included in

Annex I to the Convention

C. Initial national communications from Parties not included

in Annex I to the Convention

D. Financial mechanism

E. Second review of the adequacy of

Article 4.2(a) and (b)

F. Implementation of Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention

(decision 3/CP.3 and Articles 2.3 and 3.14 of the

Kyoto Protocol)

G. Activities implemented jointly: review of progress under

the pilot phase (decision 5/CP.1)

H. Review of information and possible decisions under

Article 4.2(f)

I. Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol; Article 12 of the

Kyoto Protocol; Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol

J. Matters related to decision 1/CP.3, paragraph 6:

preparations for the first session of the Conference

of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties

to the Protocol

K. Administrative and financial matters

IV. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

(Agenda item 4)

List of documents before the Subsidiary Body for Implementation at its ninth session

1. The ninth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) was held at the Centro de exposiciones del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 3 to 10 November 1998.

2. The Chairman of the SBI, Mr. Bakary Kante (Senegal), opened the session on 3 November 1998. He welcomed all delegates and observers to the session and thanked the Government of Argentina for its generous hospitality as the host of the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP). The Chairman recalled that the COP had referred a number of its agenda items to the SBI, and noted that the SBI should aim at preparing draft decisions on these items for recommendation to the COP for adoption. He observed that the SBI would need to work intensively in order to complete the work on the many items referred to it. He expressed confidence, however, that delegates would rise to this challenge and work together in a spirit of cooperation.

3. At its 1^st meeting, on 3 November, the SBI considered the provisional agenda contained in document FCCC/CP/1998/1, annex II.

4. The SBI agreed to adopt the following agenda:

1. Opening of the session.

2. Organizational matters:

(a) Adoption of the agenda;

(b) Organization of work;

(c) Election of officers.

3. Matters referred to the SBI by the plenary of the Conference of the Parties.

4. Adoption of the report.

5. The SBI considered this sub-item at its 1^st meeting, on 3 November. It had before it the tentative schedule of meetings contained in document FCCC/CP/1998/1/Add.1, annex III. The Chairman noted that the tentative schedule of meetings should be used as a guide to the organization of work of the SBI, but that flexibility would be required to respond to the pace of progress.

6. The Chairman recalled that the COP, at its 2^nd plenary meeting the previous day, had referred a number of items to the SBI for its consideration. Some of these had been allocated to both the SBI and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) for their joint consideration. The Chairman drew the attention of the SBI to the items before it, which were as follows:

-Calendar of meetings of Convention bodies 2000-2001

(COP agenda item 2(h));

-National communications from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention

(COP agenda item 4(a)(i));

-Initial national communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the

Convention

(COP agenda item 4(a)(ii));

-Financial mechanism

(COP agenda item 4(b));

-Second review of the adequacy of Article 4.2(a) and (b)

(COP agenda item 4(d));

-Implementation of Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention

(decision 3/CP.3 and Articles 2.3 and 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol)

(COP agenda item 4(e));

-Activities implemented jointly: review of progress under the pilot phase

(decision 5/CP.1) (to be considered jointly with the SBSTA)

(COP agenda item 4(f));

-Review of information and possible decisions under Article 4.2(f)

(COP agenda item 4(g));

-Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol (to be considered jointly with the SBSTA)

(COP agenda item 5(a)(ii));

-Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol (to be considered jointly with the SBSTA)

(COP agenda item 5(a)(iii));

-Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol (to be considered jointly with the SBSTA)

(COP agenda item 5(a)(iv));

-Matters related to decision 1/CP.3, paragraph 6: preparations for the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (to be considered jointly with the SBI)

(COP agenda item 5(b));

-Administrative and financial matters

(COP agenda item 6).

7. The Chairman recalled that, at the request of the COP, he had agreed to consult with the Chairman of the SBSTA on whether COP agenda item 4(e), an item referred to the SBI, should also be considered by the SBSTA.

8. The Chairman underscored that the SBI should complete its work by 10 November, to enable him to present recommended draft decisions to the COP in his report on 11 November.

9. The Chairman noted that the previous day the COP had accorded observer status to the intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations listed in document FCCC/CP/1998/14 and Add.1, and accordingly, these organizations would also be admitted as observers to the current session of the SBI.

10. Finally, the Chairman recalled that the COP, at its 2^nd plenary meeting the previous day, had adopted a decision on the attendance of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations at contact groups (decision _/CP.4). He noted that the SBI would adhere to this decision in its work.

11. The SBI considered this sub-item at its 1^st and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively.

12. The representative of one Party, speaking on behalf of the Asian Group, expressed the Group's deep concern that it had not been possible at the eighth session to agree on the election of officers of the SBI, one group having expressed its intention of keeping the position of Vice-Chairman for a fourth term even though it had held that position since COP 1. That group had further rejected an offer of flexibility from the Asian Group, which would therefore renew its candidature at the tenth session of the SBI.

13. The SBI considered this matter at its 1^st and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively. It had before it document FCCC/CP/1998/1.

14. At the 1^st meeting, on 3 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter in the budget group established to consider the item on administrative and financial matters (see paras. 37-38 below).

15. The SBI considered this matter at its 4^th and _ meetings, on 4 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/4, FCCC/CP/1998/5, FCCC/CP/1998/11 and Add.1-2, FCCC/CP/1998/INF.9 and FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.8.

16. At its 4^th meeting, on 4 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter by way of a contact group, co-chaired by Mr. Mohamed El Ghaouth (Mauritania) and Mr. Alexander Metalnikov (Russian Federation).

17. The SBI considered this matter at its 4^th and meetings, on 4 and _ November, respectively. It had before it document FCCC/CP/1998/INF.2.

18. At the 4^th meeting, on 4 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter by way of a contact group, co-chaired by Mr. Paul Maclons (South Africa) and Mr. Daniel Reifsnyder (United States of America).

19. The SBI considered this matter at its 5^th and _ meetings, on 4 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/12 and Add.1, FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.3 and Add.1-2, and FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.4.

20. At the 5^th meeting, on 4 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter by way of a contact group, co-chaired by Mr. John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda), Vice-President of the COP at its fourth session, and Mr. Daniel Reifsnyder (United States of America).

21. The SBI considered this matter at its 5^th and _ meetings, on 4 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.6 and Add.1-2.

22. At the 5^th meeting, on 4 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter by way of a contact group, co-chaired by Ms. Jennifer Irish (Canada) and Ms. Margaret Mukahanana (Zimbabwe).

23. The SBI considered this matter at its 1^st and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively. It had before it document FCCC/SBI/1998/6.

24. At the 1^st meeting, on 3 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter by way of a contact group, co-chaired by Mr. Bo Kjellén (Sweden) and Mr. Mohammad Reza Salamat (Iran).

25. The SBI considered this matter at its 3^rd and _ meetings, which were held jointly with the SBSTA, on 3 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/2, FCCC/CP/1998/INF.3 and FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.7 and Add.1-2.

26. At the joint meeting on 3 November, the Chairmen of the SBI and the SBSTA invited Ms. Cornelia Quennet-Thielen (Germany) to assist them in conducting informal consultations on this matter.

27. The SBI considered this matter at its 4^th and 5^th meetings, on 4 November. It had before it document FCCC/CP/1998/13.

28. At the 4^th meeting, on 4 November, the Chairman invited Mr. Luis Herrera Marcano (Venezuela) to assist him in conducting informal consultations on this matter.

29. Statements were made by the representatives of six Parties, including one speaking on behalf of the European Community and its member States. The representative of a State not party to the Convention also made a statement.

30. The representative of Turkey made available to Parties a copy of a report entitled "Turkey: National Report on Climate Change".

31. At its 5^th meeting, on 4 November, having considered a proposal made by the Chairman on the basis of informal consultations, the SBI decided to recommend a draft decision on the review of information and possible decisions under Article 4.2 (f) for adoption by the COP at its fourth session (for the text of the draft decision, see decision FCCC/CP/1998/L.2).

32. The SBI considered these matters at its 4^th and _ meetings, which were held jointly with the SBSTA, on 4 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.7 and Add.1-2.

33. At the joint meeting on 4 November, the SBI and the SBSTA agreed to consider this issue by way of a joint contact group, co-chaired by Mr. Yvo de Boer (Netherlands) and

Mr. Gylvan Meira Filho (Brazil).

34. The SBI considered this matter at its 6^th and _ meetings, held jointly with the SBSTA, on 5 and _ November, respectively. It had before it document FCCC/CP/1998/3.

35. At the joint meeting on 6 November, the Chairmen of the SBI and the SBSTA invited Mr. Espen Ronneberg (Marshall Islands), Vice-President of the COP at its fourth session, to assist them in conducting informal consultations on this matter.

36. The SBI considered this matter at its 1^st and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively. It had before it documents FCCC/CP/1998/8 and Add.1, FCCC/CP/1998/9, FCCC/CP/1998/10, FCCC/CP/1998/INF.1 and FCCC/CP/1998/INF.6.

37. At the 1^st meeting, on 3 November, the SBI agreed to consider this matter by way of a budget group, chaired by Mr. Harald Dovland (Norway), Vice-President of the COP at its fourth session.

38. At its _ meeting, on _ November, the SBI considered the draft report on its ninth session (FCCC/SBI/1998/L.2).

1. The annex will be included in the final version of the report, to be issued under the symbol FCCC/SBI/1998/7.