BNJ.99-618

1 November 1999

ENGLISH ONLY

SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Eleventh session

Bonn, 25 October - 5 November 1999

Agenda item 9 (a)

At its eleventh session, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation decided to recommend the following draft decision for adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its fifth session.

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular Articles 4.1 and 10.2 (a) and Article 12.1, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6 and 12.7,

Recalling also its decisions on initial communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (non-Annex I Parties), in particular decisions 10/CP.2, 11/CP.2, and 12/CP.4,

Noting that, pursuant to decision 10/CP.2, the national and regional development priorities, objectives and circumstances of non-Annex I Parties should, in accordance with Article 4.1 of the Convention and provisions of Article 3 and Article 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10 of the Convention, be taken into account by the Conference of the Parties in considering matters related to their initial communications,

Having considered the relevant recommendations of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation,

Noting with appreciation the first compilation and synthesis of initial national communications from non-Annex I Parties (FCCC/SBI/1999/11), prepared by the secretariat pursuant to decision 12/CP.4,

Noting that, from its first session onward, in accordance with Article 12.7 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties has arranged for the provision to developing country Parties of both technical and financial support, on request, in compiling and communicating information under that Article, as well as in identifying the technical and financial needs associated with proposed projects and response measures under Article 4 of the Convention,

1. Requests, in accordance with Article 12.5 of the Convention, non-Annex I Parties which have not made their initial communication within three years of the entry into force of the Convention for the Party in question, or of the availability of financial resources in accordance with Article 4.3 of the Convention, to do so as soon as possible, it being understood that Parties that are least developed countries may make their initial communication at their discretion;

2. Requests the Convention secretariat:

(a) To prepare the second compilation and synthesis of initial national communications from non-Annex I Parties, as indicated in decision 10/CP.2, based on submissions received from such Parties by 1 June 2000, and to make that report available to the subsidiary bodies at their fourteenth sessions with a view to its consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its sixth session;

(b) In preparing that compilation and synthesis, to report on problems encountered in using the guidelines for the preparation of initial national communications by non-Annex I Parties, and on other issues raised by non-Annex I Parties, with a view, among other things to enhancing further the comparability and focus of the communications;

3. Concludes, with respect to the reporting of information by non-Annex I Parties that have submitted their initial national communications, that:

(a) Those Parties are fulfilling their commitments under Article 4.1(a) to make available to the Conference of the Parties national inventories of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol;

(b) They are generally following the UNFCCC guidelines with a varied level of detail across the different communications;

4. Concludes that in view of the problems encountered in the preparation of initial national communications, namely difficulties relating to the quality and availability of data, emission factors and methodologies for the integrated assessment of the effects of climate change and impacts of response measures, there is a need for maintaining and

enhancing national capacity in non-Annex I Parties for the preparation of national communications;

5. Concludes that, the current guidelines facilitate reporting by Parties, although some limitations have been encountered. Parties have found ways to overcome these problems by providing additional information, particularly related to greenhouse gas inventories. Further analysis of the problems in the use of the guidelines will be required when additional national communications are submitted;

6. Concludes, with respect to the implementation of the Convention by non-Annex I Parties, that, as described in the first compilation and synthesis report of reporting Parties (FCCC/SBI/1999/11), non-Annex I Parties are taking measures to address climate change and its adverse impacts.