Distr.

LIMITED

FCCC/SBSTA/1998/L.8

8 November 1998

Original: ENGLISH

SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE

Ninth session

Buenos Aires, 3-10 November 1998

Agenda item 5

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 SBSTA BY THE PLENARY

OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES

(Agenda item 3)

A. Development and transfer of technologies

(decision 13/CP.1)

EZE.98-

Paragraphs Page

B. Activities implemented jointly: review of

progress under the pilot phase (decision 5/CP.1)

C. Research and systematic observation (Articles 4.1(g)

and 5 of the Convention)

D. Scientific and methodological aspects of the

the proposal by Brazil

E. Land-use change and forestry

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

Kyoto Protocol; Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol

G. Impact of single projects on emissions in

the commitment period

H. Matters related to decision 1/CP.3, para. 6: preparations

for the first session of the Conference of the Parties

serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol

IV. OTHER MATTERS

(Agenda item 4)

V. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

(Agenda item 5)

1. List of documents before the Subsidiary Body for

Scientific and Technological Advice at its ninth session

1. The ninth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) was held at the Centro de exposiciones del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 3-10 November 1998.

2. The Chairman of the SBSTA, Mr. Kok Kee Chow (Malaysia), 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 noted that the task of the SBSTA at its ninth session was clear; it should aim to seek consensus among Parties in order to prepare draft decisions for adoption by the COP. The Chairman recalled that the COP had referred a number of items to the SBSTA for its consideration, consisting of both on-going work under the Convention and matters arising from the Kyoto Protocol. He emphasized that the SBSTA should aim to strike an appropriate balance between these two areas of work. The Chairman observed that the SBSTA would need to work intensively to prepare draft decisions for the COP in a timely manner on the many issues before it. He expressed confidence, however, that delegates would rise to this challenge and work together in a spirit of cooperation to advance the Convention process.

3. Also at the 1^st meeting, on 3 November, a statement was made by Dr. Robert Watson, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In his statement,

Dr. Watson focused on the IPCC work programme and provided information on the status of preparation of information requested by the SBSTA, including on the special report on land-use, land-use change and forestry.

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

5. Statements were made by representatives of two Parties after which the SBSTA 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 SBSTA by the plenary of the Conference of the Parties.

4. Other matters.

5.Adoption of the report.

6. The SBSTA 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 that schedule should be used as a guide to the organization of work of the SBSTA, but that flexibility would be required to respond to the pace of progress.

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

-Development and transfer of technologies (decision 13/CP.1)

(COP agenda item 4(c));

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

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

(COP agenda item 4(f));

-Research and systematic observation (Articles 4.1(g) and 5 of the Convention)

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

-Scientific and methodological aspects of the proposal by Brazil

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

-Land-use change and forestry (COP, agenda item 5(a)(i));

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Impact of single projects on emissions in the commitment period

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

-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)).

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

9. The Chairman underscored that the SBSTA should complete its work by 10 November, to enable him to present recommended draft decisions to the COP on 11 November.

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 SBSTA would adhere to this decision in its work.

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

12. The SBSTA considered this matter at its 5^th and _ meetings, on 4 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/6, FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.5 and Add.1-3 and FCCC/TP/1998/1.

13. At the 5^th meeting, on 4 November, a statement was made by the Chairman of the Climate Technology Initiative (CTI).

14. Also at its 5^th meeting, on 4 November, the SBSTA agreed to consider this matter by way of a contact group, co-chaired by Ms. Renate Christ (European Community) and Ms. Wanna Tanunchaiwatana (Thailand).

15. The SBSTA considered this matter at its 3^rd and _ meetings, which were held jointly with the SBI, 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.

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

17. The SBSTA considered this matter at its 5^th, 7^th and _ meetings, on 4, 5 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/7 and FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.2.

18. At the 5^th meeting, on 4 November, the comprehensive report on the adequacy of the global observing systems, prepared in response to decision 8/CP.3, was presented to the SBSTA by a representative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Statements were also made by representatives of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

19. At the 5^th meeting, on 4 November, the Chairman invited Ms. Susan Barrell (Australia) and Mr. Mohamed Mhita (United Republic of Tanzania) to assist him in conducting informal consultations on this matter.

20. The SBSTA considered this matter at its 2^nd and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively.

21. The SBSTA considered this matter at its 1^st and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively. It had before it the following documents: FCCC/CP/1998/INF.4, FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.1 and Add.1-2 and FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.9 and Add.1-2.

22. At the 1^st meeting, on 3 November, Mr. Paul Maclons (South Africa), co-chair with

Mr. Maciej Sadowski (Poland) of the first SBSTA workshop on land-use, land-use change and forestry (Rome, 24-25 September 1998), presented a report to the SBSTA on that workshop on behalf of the co-chairs.

23. Also at the 1^st meeting, a statement was made by a representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In addition, the Chairman recalled the information provided by the Chairman of the IPCC at the start of that meeting on the status of preparation of the special report on land-use, land-use change and forestry.

24. At the 1^st meeting, the Chairman invited Mr. Paul Maclons and Mr. Maciej Sadowski to assist him in conducting informal consultations on this sub-item.

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

26. At the joint meeting on 4 November, the SBSTA and the SBI 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).

27. The SBSTA considered this matter at its 2^nd and _ meetings, on 3 and _ November, respectively.

28. At its 2^nd meeting, on 3 November, the Chairman invited Mr. Ole Plougmann (Denmark), Vice-President of the COP at its fourth session, to assist him in conducting informal consultations on this matter.

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

30. At the joint meeting on 6 November, the Chairmen of the SBSTA and the SBI 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.

31. The SBSTA considered this item at its 7^th and _ meetings, on 5 and _ November, respectively.

32. The Chairman noted that a matter requiring the attention of the SBSTA under this agenda item was the question of methodological issues relating to national communications from Annex I Parties. On this matter, the SBSTA had before it the following documents: FCCC/SBSTA/1998/7, FCCC/SBSTA/1998/8 and FCCC/SBSTA/1998/MISC.6 and Add.1-2.

33. A statement was made by a representative of the UNEP Collaborating Centre at Risoe, Denmark.

34. At the 7^th meeting, on 5 November, a Party raised a further matter under this agenda item, concerning available technologies to limit and reduce emissions of hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons and the relationship between the Kyoto Protocol and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

35. At its _ meeting, on _ November, the SBSTA considered the draft report on its ninth session (FCCC/SBSTA/1998/L.8).

1. The annex will be included in the final version of the report, to be issued under the symbol FCCC/SBSTA/1998/9.