ENGLISH ONLY

UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE

Eleventh session

Bonn, 25 October - 5 November 1999

Item 9 (a) of the provisional agenda

FCCC/SBSTA/1999/MISC.7/Add.2

BNJ.99-101

and its relationship to a decision-making framework in the context of the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol

• In addition to the submissions included in documents FCCC/SBSTA/1999/MISC.7 and Add. 1, a further submission from Finland, on behalf of the European Community and its member States, was received on 25 October 1999.
  
  
• In accordance with the procedures for miscellaneous documents, this submission⁽¹⁾ is attached and reproduced in the language in which it was received and without formal editing.

ITS RELATIONSHIP TO A DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK IN THE CONTEXT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

The EU is of view that estimation of the implications of activities under Art. 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol should be provided by Annex B Parties prior decision making, as indicated in previous EU submissions. The tables below should be seen as an appendix to the EU submission on "The need for country specific data and other information and its relationship to a decision-making framework in the context of the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol.

This request and provision of country specific data and information and definitions included in tables below do not in any way prejudge a decision at COP-6 with regard to their applicability under Art. 3.3 or any other relevant Article of the Kyoto Protocol. The EU proposes that provisional country specific data and information should include, inter alia:

A: AFFORESTATION

UN/ECE-FAO definition: "Artificial establishment by planting or seeding of forest on an area of agricultural or other (non-forest) land" (1)

IPCC definition: "Planting of new forest on lands which, historically, have not contained forests" (2)

Any other definition, e.g. national definition (3)

Year	Cumulative afforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Cumulative afforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Cumulative afforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
For period 2008-2012	#####			######			######

B: REFORESTATION

UN/ECE-FAO definition: "Artificial or natural re-establishment of forest on previously forest or other wooded land. Artificial reforestation may be planting or seeding" (1) (7)

IPCC definition: "Planting of forests on lands which have previously contained forests but which have been converted to some other use" (2)

Any other definition, e.g. national definition (3)

Year	Cumulative reforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Cumulative reforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Cumulative reforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
For period 2008-2012	######			######			######

C: DEFORESTATION

FAO definition: "Deforestation refers to change of land use with depletion of tree crown cover to less than 10 percent. " (8)

"Forest [and grassland] conversion - the conversion of forest [and grassland] to pasture, cropland, or other managed uses [can significantly change carbon stored in vegetation and soil];" (9)

Any other definition, e.g. national definition (3)

Year	Cumulative deforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Cumulative deforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Cumulative deforestation area since 1990 (1000 ha) (4)	Changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
	Area deforested (1000 ha)	Changes in carbon stocks (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Area deforested (1000 ha)	Changes in carbon stocks (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)	Area deforested (1000 ha)	Changes in carbon stocks (GgC) (5)	Remarks (6)
For period 2008-2012

REMARKS

(1) The UN-ECE/FAO 1990 Forest Resources Assessment 1990. Vol 1. General Forest Resource Information. Page 345. For further guidance please note that other related definitions including definitions of agricultural land and other land are also found on pages 341 and 342 in that document as well as in the document UN-ECE/FAO Temperate and Boreal Forest Resources Assessment 2000, Terms and Definitions. United Nations, New York and Geneva, July 1997.

(2) Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Reporting Instructions. Glossary page 1 and Glossary page 15. For further guidance, please note that " Plantations are forest stands that have been established artificially, to produce a forest product "crop". They are either on lands that previously have not supported forests more then 50 years (afforestation), or lands that have supported forests within the last 50 years and where the original crop has been replaced with a different one (reforestation)". Reference Manual, page 5.14, footnote 10.

(3) Use a footnote to specify national definition or any other relevant definitions. Also please specify and define relevant terms used in the definition.

• Separate lines could be completed e.g. for (i) coniferous, (ii) deciduous, (iii) mixed coniferous-deciduous, (iv) tropical, (v) etc. as appropriate. Data based on national classifications and their relationship to internationally agreed classifications may be provided as a footnote or in a separate sheet.

• Countries should specify which stocks are included. Data could be divided into e.g. (i) growing stock (stemwood), (ii) above ground forest biomass, (iii) below ground forest biomass and (iv) soil carbon. Countries may subdivide the column accordingly.

• Countries are asked to provide the following information on a separate sheet or as a footnote: (i) methods used to estimate changes of area and carbon stocks entered in table, (ii) the basis for projections for area, (iii) carbon uptake and conversion factors used, (iv) sources of data, verification and uncertainties, (v) reasons for not being able to provide data.

• It is commonly understood that under the UN-ECE/FAO system reforestation includes re-establishment of forest after harvest.
• FAO Forestry paper 112, page 10. FAO, Rome 1993. For further guidance, please note that "Changes within the forest class (from closed to open forest) which negatively affect the stand or site and, in particular, lower the production capacity, are termed forest degradation. Degradation is not reflected in the estimates."

• Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Reference Manual, page 5.6. For further guidance, please note that "Conversion of forests is also referred to as "deforestation" [and it is frequently accompanied by burning.] Footnote 7.

APPENDIX III

Finland, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, is of the view that estimates of the implications of possible additional activities under Art. 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol should be provided by Annex B Parties prior to decision-making, as we have indicated in previous EU submissions. This request below should be seen as an appendix to the EU submission on "The need for country specific data and other information and its relationship to a decision-making framework in the context of the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol".

This request and provision of country specific data and information do not in any way prejudge a decision at COP-6 with regard to their eligibility under Art 3.4, or how broadly or narrowly defined the activities are that could be considered.

The EU believes that provisional country specific data and information for each possible candidate activity should include, inter alia:

· Descriptions and definitions of candidate activities.

· Areas (1000 ha) affected by each candidate activity. Possible overlapping with other activities should be indicated.

· Area affected and changes in carbon stocks in a previous 5-year period as a result of candidate activities for years 1995, and estimates to be made for 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and change in 2008-2012. Countries are asked to provide information on the relationship of these changes to overall changes in carbon stocks e.g. as percentage of change in overall carbon stock.

· Data may be separated into above ground and below ground biomass carbon stocks as well as soil carbon, if possible.

· Information on (i) methods used in estimating areas and changes in carbon stocks, (ii) the basis for projections, (iii) carbon uptake and conversion factors used, (iv) sources of data, verification, validation of data and uncertainties.

· Information on lack of data and needs for future methodological work.

1. In order to make this submission available on electronic systems, including the World Wide Web, it has been electronically imported. The secretariat has made every effort to ensure the correct reproduction of the text as submitted.