12 June 1998
ENGLISH ONLY
UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE
Eighth session
Bonn, 2-12 June 1998
Agenda item 7
1. Submissions have been received from Parties in the context of agenda item 7 of the eighth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice, regarding proposals relating to technology information centres and enhancing support for national or regional centres.
2. In accordance with the procedure for miscellaneous documents, these submissions(1)
are attached and reproduced in the language in which they were received and without formal editing.
FCCC/SBSTA/1998/MISC.5
BNJ.98-
Paper No. Page
1. Indonesia 3
(On behalf of the Group of 77 and China)
(Submission received 11 June 1998)
2. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4
(On behalf of the European Community and its member States)
(Submission received 11 June 1998)
3. United States of America 5
(Submission received 11 June 1998)
The SBSTA having noted the result of the consultations of the secretariat with the GEF and other relevant international organizations in accordance with decision 9/CP.3 para. 2 (b) agreed to request the SBI to take the steps to provide necessary financial resources for establishing/enhancing support for national, regional centers.
The SBSTA recommends that COP 4 give guidance to GEF to respond to the need for improving existing, and setting up technology information centers as stated in para. 2 (b) of decision 9/CP.3, through the establishment of dedicated/specialized information systems, comprising of enhanced national and regional centers, that would, inter alia, facilitate national/regional access to the information provided by international centers, and strengthen national/regional capacities to work with these centers for the dissemination of information, information services, and transfer of environmentally sound technologies and know-how in support of the Convention.
The SBSTA, noted the result of the consultations of the secretariat with the GEF and other relevant international organisations in accordance with decision 9/CP.3 para. 2 (b).
It concluded that much technology information is available and that many technology information centres and networks already exist, but that information is not always tailored to the needs of Parties and that access to such information could be improved.
It concluded that the initial priority should be given to consideration of the enhancement of national and regional technology information centres. In this regard the SBSTA:
(a) requests the SBI, in considering additional guidance to the GEF, to give priority to activities that provide support to developing country Parties to facilitate national access to the information provided by technology information centres at the national, regional and international levels and to strengthen national capacity to work with technology information centres.
(b) invites Parties, in particular non-Annex II Parties, taking into account the work already undertaken by the secretariat in documents FCCC/SB/1997/4, FCCC/SBSTA/1997/10, FCCC/SBSTA/1998/INF.2, and also the report entitled "Preliminary Review of Existing Technology Information Centres and Networks Supporting GG Mitigation in Developing and Transition Countries" from the Climate Technology Initiative (CTI) made available at the seventh session of the SBSTA, to submit written comments on the functions and services required of national and regional technology information centres and networks, with reference to differing national and regional needs and existing capacity by 15 August 1998.
The SBSTA took note of the results of the consultations of the Secretariat with the GEF and other international organisations regarding (an) international technology information centre(s) and network(s) as well as enhanced national or regional centres and networks. It concluded that much technology information is available and that many technology information centres and networks already exist, but that access to such information could be improved. In order to assess the needs of developing countries to fulfil their commitments under the UNFCCC, the first step should be to assess the extent to which managers and technicians in relevant sectors were aware of such technologies, practices and processes followed by the identification of sources and supplies, including through existing technology information centres and networks. Further work would be needed on capacity building for the acquisition and absorption of technologies, practices and processes.
In this regard, the SBSTA:
a) urged the SBI to take note of this finding and to request the GEF to give priority to activities that enhance access to technology information, taking the above conclusions into account;
- requests the secretariat, in consultation with Parties and relevant public and
private sectors experts, to:
i Identify the desired functions and services to be provided by such centres and networks;
ii Assess the capacity of, and identify any potential deficiencies in, existing centres and networks to provide the desired functions and services; and
iii Develop options to enhance the capabilities of existing technology information centres and networks to provide the desired functions and services.
functions and services required of national and regional technology information centres and networks, with reference to differing national and regional needs and existing capacity.