Distr.

LIMITED

FCCC/CP/1998/L.6/Add.1

12 November 1998

Original: ENGLISH

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES

Fourth session

Buenos Aires, 2-13 November 1998

Agenda item 9 (a)

At the 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, after the Chairmen of the SBSTA and the SBI had reported on the outcome of the discussions in their respective bodies on the items allocated to them, the President, noting that a number of issues remained outstanding, informed the Conference of the Parties that she intended to convene a representative group of "friends of the President" at the ministerial level, to which the entire Bureau would also be invited, in order to develop a strategy on how to deal with the outstanding issues.

EZE.98-

This item was considered by the Conference of the Parties at its 5^th and __ plenary meetings, on 11 and __ November. At the 5^th plenary meeting, the Executive Secretary confirmed that an offer to host the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties had been received from the Government of Jordan. There were, however, a number of organizational and financial difficulties that needed to be resolved before a final decision could be taken compatible with General Assembly resolution 40/243 of 18 December 1985. It was his hope that those difficulties could be overcome in time for a decision to be taken at the present session, but there might be a need for some flexibility in that regard.

At the 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Chairman of the SBSTA reported to the Conference of the Parties on the work of its ninth session. On all the items referred solely to the SBSTA (agenda items 4 (c), 4 (h), 5 (a) (i) and 5 (a) (v)), the SBSTA had recommended draft decisions for adoption by the Conference of the Parties. In the case of the draft decision on agenda item 4(c) (FCCC/CP/1998/L.16), however, two delegations had raised objections when the text was approved in the SBSTA, and that draft decision would therefore need further consideration before it could be adopted by the Conference of the Parties. With regard to the items referred jointly to the SBSTA and the SBI (agenda items 4 (f), 5 (a) (ii) - (iv) and 5 (b)), despite intensive consultations it had not proved possible to reach final agreement on the draft decisions under discussion. Those drafts, forwarded to the Conference of the Parties in documents FCCC/CP/1998/CRP.2, 3 and 4, would therefore need further consideration before they could be adopted by the Conference of the Parties. For the action taken by the Conference of the Parties on the above, see paragraph __ above and sections IV.H and V.A, 1 and 5 below.

The Chairman of the SBSTA informed the Conference of the Parties that one Party had raised the issue of the relationship between efforts to protect the stratospheric ozone layer and efforts to safeguard the global climate system, and issues related to hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. The SBSTA had considered that issue under item 4 of its agenda, "Other matters", and had recommended a draft decision on that subject (FCCC/CP/1998/L.7) for adoption by the Conference of the Parties. At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties adopted decision ../CP.4 entitled, "Relationship between efforts to protect the stratospheric ozone layer and efforts to safeguard the global climate system: issues related to hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. For the text of this decision, see Part Two, section I, of this report.

At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties took note of the oral report of the Chairman of the SBSTA on the work of its ninth session.

At the 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Chairman of the SBI reported to the Conference of the Parties on the work of its ninth session. The Conference of the Parties had already taken action on the recommendation of the SBI on agenda item 4 (g). Draft decisions had been prepared on all the remaining items allocated to the SBI (agenda items 2 (h), 4 (a), (b), (d), (e) and (g), and 6), but despite intensive consultations it had not proved possible to reach final agreement on those draft decisions, with the exception of the draft decision on agenda item 6 (FCCC/CP/1998/L.13), which the SBI had recommended for adoption by the Conference of the Parties. The SBI had therefore decided to forward the draft decisions on the remaining items (FCCC/CP/1998/L.9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15) to the plenary of the Conference for further consideration. In the case of agenda item 4 (d), in addition to the draft decision that he had prepared as Chairman (FCCC/CP/1998/L.12), the SBI had also decided to forward four alternative drafts prepared, respectively, by the Group of 77 and China (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 (FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.6/Add.3). For the action taken by the Conference of the Parties on the above, see paragraph __ above and section VI below.

At the 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties took note of the oral report of the Chairman of the SBI on the work of its ninth session.

This sub-item was referred to the SBSTA by the Conference of the Parties at its

2^nd plenary meeting on 2 November (see paragraph __ above). At its 5^th plenary meeting, on

11 November, the Conference of the Parties, on the recommendation of the SBSTA, adopted decision ../CP.4 on research and systematic observation. For the text of this decision, see

Part Two, section I, of this report.

This sub-item was referred to the SBSTA by the Conference of the Parties at its

2^nd plenary meeting on 2 November (see paragraph __ above). At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties took note of the SBSTA's conclusions on this sub-item in document FCCC/CP/SBSTA/1998/L.7 and requested the SBSTA to inform the Conference of the Parties, at its fifth session, of any relevant information, taking into account the results of ongoing scientific activities and information from a workshop to be organized by Brazil on that issue.

This sub-item was referred to the SBSTA by the Conference of the Parties at its

2^nd plenary meeting, on 2 November (see paragraph __ above). At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties, on the recommendation of the SBSTA, adopted decision ../CP.4 on land-use, land-use change and forestry. For the text of this decision, see Part Two, section I, of this report.

This sub-item was referred to the SBSTA by the Conference of the Parties at its

2^nd plenary meeting on 2 November (see paragraph __ above). At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties, on the recommendation of the SBSTA, adopted decision ../CP.4 on the impact of single projects on emissions in the commitment period. For the text of this decision, see Part Two, section I, of this report.

This item was referred to the SBI by the Conference of the Parties at its 2^nd plenary meeting on 2 November (see paragraph __ above). At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, the Conference of the Parties, on the recommendation of the SBI, adopted decision ../CP.4 on administrative and financial matters, an omnibus decision covering all the sub-items of agenda item 6. For the text of this decision, see Part Two, section I, of this report.

At the 4^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, a ceremonial event was held to mark the visit to the Conference of H.E. Dr. Carlos Saúl Menem, President of the Republic of Argentina. Mr. Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, conveyed a message to the Conference of the Parties from the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Conference of the Parties was then addressed by the President of the Republic of Argentina. The address by the President of the Republic of Argentina and the message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations are reproduced in annex __ below.

At the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th plenary meetings, on 12 November, statements were made by

__ ministers and other heads of delegation of Parties. For the list of speakers, see annex I, section I, below.

At the 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, statements were made by the representatives of two observer States, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Turkey. For the list of speakers, see annex I, section II, below.

At its 4^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, statements were made by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Coordinator of Environmental Programmes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Managing Director of the World Bank, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and a member of the House of Representatives of Argentina, on behalf of the Latin American Parliament. For the list of speakers, see annex I, sections III-V, below.

At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 11 November, statements were made by representatives of 13 non-governmental organizations. For the list of speakers, see annex I, section VI, below.

../CP.4 Attendance of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations at contact groups ( FCCC/CP/1998/L.1/Rev.1)

../CP.4 Review of information and possible decisions under Article 4.2(f) (FCCC/CP/1998/L.2)

../CP.4 Multilateral consultative process (FCCC/CP/1998/L.3)

../CP.4 Research and systematic observation (FCCC/CP/1998/L.4)

../CP.4 Land-use, land-use change and forestry (FCCC/CP/1998/L.5)

../CP.4 Impact of single projects on emissions in the commitment period (FCCC/CP/1998/L.8)

../CP.4 Relationship between efforts to protect the stratospheric ozone layer and efforts to safeguard the global climate system: issues related to hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons (FCCC/CP/1998/L.7)

../CP.4 Administrative and financial matters (FCCC/CP/1998/L.13)