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FCCC/CP/1998/L.12

10 November 1998

Original: ENGLISH

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES

Fourth session

Buenos Aires, 2-13 November 1998

Agenda item 4 (d)

The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), at its ninth session, decided to forward to

the COP Plenary for further consideration a draft decision prepared by the Chairman of the SBI, as well as draft decisions prepared by the Group of 77 and China (see FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.6/Add.2/Rev.1), Australia, Austria, on behalf of the European Community and its member States, and the United States of America (see FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.6/Add.3). The draft decision prepared by the Chairman of the SBI is reproduced below:

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Having reviewed Article 4.2 (a) and (b) of the Convention, [which relate to the commitments of Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (Annex I Parties),] in accordance with Article 4.2(d), and having concluded that those subparagraphs are not adequate [to achieve the objective of the Convention],

1. Recognizes that the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention is an important step;

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  • Urges earliest possible ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by all Parties to the

  Convention;

  
  
  

  3. [Decides that developed country Parties shall make genuine efforts to return their

  greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels as stipulated under subparagraphs (a) and (b) of Article 4.2 of the Convention; and that firm guidelines shall be established, no later than the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties, to ensure that Annex I Parties that have made little or no progress in stabilizing or reducing their greenhouse gas emissions achieve demonstrable progress by the year 2005 at the latest;]

  
  
  

  3(bis) [Notes the conclusion contained in paragraph 10 of decision _/CP.4 on

  communications from Annex I Parties to the Convention; encourages Annex I Parties to continue their efforts to implement commitments as provided for under Article 4.2 (a) and (b);]

  
  
  

  3(ter) [Agrees to begin a process to assess the greenhouse gas concentration levels which, in

  order to meet the ultimate objective of the Convention, should not be exceeded];

  
  
  

  • [Decides that the Conference of the Parties shall, at its fifth session, consider

  additional steps that may be necessary to fulfil the objective of the Convention, and the time-frame in which such steps should be taken.]

  
  
  

  5. [Further decides that the third review of adequacy under Article 4.2 (d) of the

  Convention shall take place at the next session of the Conference of the Parties after publication of the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, but in any case no later than 31 December 2002, and shall include a review of available information, [with a view to taking decisions under Article 4. 2 (f)] [taking into account other reviews under the Convention] [in conjunction with a review under Article 7.2]];

  
  
  

  • [Requests the secretariat to add the decision on the timing for conducting the

   third review and subsequent reviews in accordance with Article 4.2 (d) of the Convention on the provisional agenda of COP5.]

  
  
  

   

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