5 November 1998

ENGLISH ONLY

UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES⁽¹⁾

Fourth session

Buenos Aires, 2-13 November 1998

Agenda item 4 (c)

1. In addition to the submissions included in documents FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.5,

Add.1 and Add. 2, three further submission have been received.

2. In accordance with the procedure for miscellaneous documents, these submissions are attached and reproduced in the language in which they were received and without formal editing.

Paper No. Page

1. Austria

(On behalf of the European Community and its member States)

(Submission received 5 November 1998) 3

2. Indonesia

(On behalf of the Group of 77 and China)

(Submission received 5 November 1998) 5

3. United States of America

(Submission received 5 November 1998) 9

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling Articles 4.1 c) and 4.5 of the Convention,

Also recalling the deliberations of the sixth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development,

Taking note of the activities of the Climate Technology Initiative,

Looking forward to receiving the special report of IPCC on barriers to the Transfer of Technologies,

Having considered the report of SBSTA as contained in FCCC/SBSTA/1998/6, which contains a wealth of useful information for the deliberation of the subject,

1. Underlines the importance of the identification of technology and technology information needs at the country level.

2. Also underlines the importance of the appropriate national, regional and global framework needed for successful development and transfer of technologies.

3. Urges all non-Annex I Parties to identify their financial and technological needs in accordance with decision 10/CP.2.

4. Decides that the national communications should be used as an important means of identifying the needs in technologies, practices and processes that control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and the respective information needs in order to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change and to facilitate the implementation of their obligations under the Convention, taking into account examples of best practice.

5. Decides to request the FCCC Secretariat to prepare a miscellaneous document on the relationship between technology co-operation and technology transfer with a view to increased involvement of the private sector and the necessary policy, legal and institutional frameworks needed for the creation of an enabling environment for the private sector to enhance the transfer of environmentally sound technologies and taking into account views as received from Parties.

6 Decides that the work programme should be carried out in accordance with the proposals made by the Secretariat.

7. Decides also that the Secretariat should, in close co-operation with the relevant centres and networks, evaluate the mission and the performance of existing centres and networks on technology transfer and technology information with a view to strengthening their ties to the FCCC and support developing countries' capabilities in making full use of the services of these centres and networks. Activities should not be confined only to specialised technology centres but also take place within the existing multilateral and bilateral co-operation frameworks.

8. Decides that the financial mechanism should build on its support for the acquisition of technology information by developing countries and Technology Transfer and notes that this issue should be taken up in the guidance to the financial mechanism.

Technology development and transfer

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of chapter 34 of Agenda 21 and the relevant provisions of the programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its nineteenth special session, on the transfer of environmentally sound technologies,

Pursuant to Articles 4.1, 4.5, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 9.2 and 11.1 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Recalling its decisions 13/CP.1, 7/CP.2 and 9/CP.3 on development and transfer of technology,

Noting the slow progress of practical activities with regard to the development and transfer of technology,

Bearing in mind Article 10, paragraph (c) of the Kyoto Protocol, which states that all Parties shall Acooperate in the promotion of effective modalities for the development, application and diffusion of, and take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, the transfer of, or access to, environmentally sound technologies, know-how, practices and processes pertinent to climate change, in particular to developing countries, including the formulation of policies and programmes for the effective transfer of environmentally sound technologies that are publicly owned or in the private domain and the creation of an enabling environment for the private sector, to promote and enhance the transfer of, and access to environmentally sound technologies@,

1. Reaffirms its decisions 13/CP.1, 7/CP.2 and 9/CP.3 on transfer of technology;

2. Urges:

(a) Parties listed in Annex II, as the first step, to provide a list of environmentally

sound and economically viable technologies and know-how related to adaptation and mitigation of climate change that are publicly owned or in the private domain for reference by developing country Parties, including report in their national communications steps taken to implement Article 4.5 of the Convention;

(b) Non-Annex I Parties, in the light of their social and economic conditions and

taking into account the state-of-the-art environmentally sound technologies, to submit their prioritized technology needs, especially as concerns some key technologies needed in particular sectors of their national economy conducive to addressing climate change; and

(c) Both developed and developing country Parties to create an enabling

environment, including public awareness, to stimulate private sector investment in and transfer of environmentally sound technologies and know-how to developing countries, taking into full account Article 10(c) of the Kyoto Protocol;

3. Requests the Convention secretariat:

(a) To prepare an inventory of environmentally sound and economically viable

technologies and know-how conducive to adapting and mitigating climate change, taking into account submissions made, under subparagraphs 2 (a) and (b) above;

(b) To submit the documents on the elaboration of the terms under which

transfer of technologies and know-how could take place, through the SBSTA, to the Fifth Conference of the Parties for consideration;

4. Decides to define hereby a technology transfer mechanism (TTM) to address

climate change. The purpose of TTM shall be to assist developing country Parties to obtain their needed environmentally sound technologies and know-how conducive to addressing climate change on non-commercial, preferential terms and thus contribute to the ultimate objective of the convention. The functions of the TTM shall be elaborated by the

Conference of the Parties, taking into account recommendations of the subsidiary bodies of the Convention. Such further elaboration may include, inter alia, the following:

(a) The developed country Parties, in particular Annex II Parties, shall take all practicable steps, including regulatory, legal and economic instruments or incentives, to promote, facilitate and finance the transfer of technologies and know-how to developing country Parties on non-commercial, preferential terms as provided for in chapter 34 of Agenda 21;

(b) The developed country Parties, in particular Annex II Parties, shall also take the necessary steps to promote capacity building in non-Annex I country Parties; and

(c) The developing country Parties shall create an enabling environment for those environmentally sound technologies and know-how to be transferred to them on preferential terms related to adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

5. Further decides to establish an Intergovernmental Technical Advisory Panel

(ITAP) in accordance with Decision 6/CP.1, annex II. The functions of the ITAP will include, inter alia, assessing environmentally sound technologies and making recommendations to SBSTA, advising on methodological issues, and developing guidelines on the development and transfer of environmentally sound technologies;

6. Decides to, at the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties, and at the

sessions of the Conference of the Parties thereafter, elaborate modalities and procedures for reviewing the implementation of the Annex II Parties= commitments under Article 4.5 of the Convention regarding technology transfer with the objective of ensuring effective transfer of environmentally sound technologies and know-how to developing country Parties.

Capacity building

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling its decisions 13/CP.1, 7/CP.2 and 9/CP.3 on development and transfer of technologies,

Reaffirming the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as contained in its Article 2,

Acknowledging that human activities since the industrial revolution have been substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases,

Noting that the largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse gases has originated from developed countries, that per capita emissions in developing countries are still low and that the share of global emissions originating from developing countries will grow to meet their social and developmental needs,

Taking note of the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention,

Recognizing that the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible cooperation and participation by all countries in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities, respective capabilities and their social and economic conditions,

Recognizing the right of all countries to promote sustainable development and the legitimate needs of the developing countries for achievement of sustained economic growth and the eradication of poverty,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21 on transfer of environmentally sound technology, cooperation and capacity building, as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its nineteenth special session

in 1997, and as reaffirmed by decision 9/CP.3,

Reaffirming the provisions of Article 4.7 of the Convention,

1. Agrees that strengthening the capacities and capabilities of developing country

Parties to address climate change will help these Parties to make their contributions to modifying the long-term trends of climate change, address climate change, achieve sustainable development and contribute to the ultimate objective of the Convention;

2. Decides to mobilize efforts of all relevant international organizations,

particularly those of the financial institutions, to provide financial resources needed by developing country Parties to meet their incremental costs, including transfer and development of technology, enhancement of endogenous capacities, implementation of such measures as improving energy efficiency, exploiting renewable energies, enhancing sinks and preparing for adaptation to adverse effects of climate change;

3. Requests Annex I Parties, in particular Annex II Parties, to the Convention to take all practical steps to promote, facilitate and finance the transfer and development of environmentally sound technologies, or access to environmentally sound technologies, know-how and practices, to developing country Parties. Annex I Parties are also requested to support capacity building and strengthening of national institutions to enable transfer of environmentally sound technologies;

4. Further requests Annex I Parties, in particular Annex II Parties, to the Convention:

(a) To assist the developing country Parties in their efforts to build capacity and

institutional framework to improve energy efficiency and utilization of renewable energies through multilateral and bilateral cooperative efforts;

(b) To provide assistance to developing country Parties for sustainable

management, conservation and enhancement, as appropriate, of sinks and reservoirs of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, including forests, biomass and seas;

(c) To assist developing country Parties to build capacity to adapt to adverse

effects of climate change;

(d) To assist developing country Parties to strengthen their endogenous capacities

and capabilities in the areas of technological, technical and socio-economic research and systematic observation relevant to climate change and its associated adverse effects; and

(e) Taking into account Article 6 of the Convention, to cooperate in and promote capacity building of developing country Parties at the international, regional, subregional and national levels through cooperation programmes supported by multilateral, bilateral and United Nations agencies;

Requests the secretariat to further strengthen its activities related to technical and

financial support to developing country Parties with regard to strengthening of their

capacity-building.

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the importance of technology cooperation and transfer as a means to move toward the ultimate goals of the Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Noting the key role of the private sector in development, transfer and finance of technology, and the importance of creating and maintaining the proper enabling environment for private sector participation in clean technology markets, including through adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights,

Noting that, pursuant to Article 4, paragraph 5, of the Convention, the developed country Parties and other developed Parties included in Annex II are required to take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance as appropriate, the transfer of, or access to, environmentally sound technologies and know-how to other Parties, particularly developing country Parties, to enable them to implement the provisions of the Convention, and have made considerable efforts to do so, but that implementation of past decisions and commitments on development and transfer of technology have been difficult to track and evaluate,

Noting that reports are under preparation which will contribute substantially to the understanding of technology transfer issues, including the Climate Change Secretariat papers on terms of transfer and adaptation technologies, and the IPCC Special Report on Technology Transfer,

Noting that improved technology cooperation efforts are needed to facilitate broad common understanding and implementation of technology development and transfer decisions among the Parties,

Noting that innovative programs are already underway to improve cooperation among some Parties and other organizations, but need to be accelerated and more widely implemented,

1. Reaffirms its decisions 13/CP.1, 7/CP.2, and 9/CP.3 on development and transfer of technology;

2. Encourages Parties to implement practical technology cooperation projects and

programs which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting sustainable

development;

3. Invites all Parties and interested international and non-governmental organizations to identify projects and programs on technology cooperation, which they believe can serve as models for improving the diffusion and implementation of clean technologies internationally under the Convention, and to provide information on these projects to the Climate Change Secretariat;

4. Requests all Parties to enhance reporting of international technology cooperation and transfer activities;

5. Requests the SBSTA to oversee the exchange, of information, among Parties and other interested organizations on innovative technology cooperation approaches, and the assessment and synthesis of such information;

6. Requests the SBSTA and SBI to consider information on innovative technology cooperation approaches and develop recommendations to the Conference of the Parties on technology approaches which could be recognized more formally and widely implemented under the Convention;

7. Requests the Convention secretariat to:

a) focus its work program on development and transfer of technology primarily on capacity building in non-Annex 1 Parties, including facilitating projects to promote and demonstrate innovative approaches to technology cooperation;

b) compile, evaluate, synthesize and disseminate information on practical, innovative technology cooperation approaches, methods and modalities provided by Parties and other interested organizations, which can accelerate development and international transfer of clean technologies and to prepare a report on such projects for consideration by SBSTA and its 10^th session;

c) establish a focused consultative process involving Parties and technical experts to develop consensus on practical next steps to improve on existing technology centers and networks to accelerate the diffusion of clean technologies in non-Annex 1 markets.

1. Including the ninth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation.

FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.5/Add.3

EZE.98- 101