Cooperation with relevant international organizations, such as scientific bodies, UN bodies and other conventions, is an important dimension to the Convention process. The Convention itself calls on the COP to "seek and utilize … the services and cooperation of, and information provided by, competent international organizations and intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies" (Article 7.2(l)). This cooperation aims to ensure that the climate change activities of other international organizations are coherent with the Convention process and respond to the needs of the Parties, and that potential linkages and synergies on climate change matters are exploited. The SBSTA has overall responsibility for this issue.

Cooperation with relevant international organizations is an on-going process and the SBSTA regularly receives reports from such organizations on their climate change activities. At SBSTA 12, for example, Parties heard statements from representatives of the World Health Organization, the Ramsar Convention and the United Nations Development Programme. The secretariat also reports to the SBSTA on its cooperation with relevant international organizations, including by reciprocal attendance at meetings.

In some cases, cooperation with international organizations is also sought under specific agenda items such as cooperation with the IPCC on land-use, land-use change and forestry, or cooperation with the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat on research and systematic observation.

Latest developments

Initiatives have recently been taken to promote enhanced cooperation between the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). At SBSTA 13 part II (meeting together with COP 6 in The Hague, November 2000), Parties considered a discussion note prepared by the Executive Secretary of the CBD, along with decisions taken by COP 5 of the CBD on linkages with the UNFCCC.

At SBSTA 14 (meeting together with COP 6 part II in Bonn, July 2001), Parties discussed a proposal presented by the Chairman of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technological and Technical Advice (SBSTTA) of the CBD on potential areas of cooperation between the CBD and the UNFCCC.

Based on this proposal, the SBSTA endorsed the formation of a joint liaison group between the CBD and UNFCCC secretariats, and called for the secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) to also participate in the group. The aim of the group is to enhance coordination between the three conventions and explore options for further cooperation, such as a joint workplan and/or workshop. Representatives of other relevant bodies, such as the IPCC, will be invited to participate in meetings as appropriate.

In addition, the SBSTA supported the request made by the CBD SBSTTA to the IPCC to develop a technical paper on biodiversity and climate change and called on the IPCC to consider relevant linkages between climate change, biodiversity and desertification in that paper. The SBSTA invited Parties to submit views on cooperation between the three conventions and on the IPCC technical paper.

Next steps

Parties will further consider the issue of cooperation between the CBD, the CCD and the UNFCCC at SBSTA 15 (meeting together with COP 7 in Marrakesh, October/November 2001), based on views submitted by Parties on the topic and an oral report by the secretariat. The SBSTA is also expected to hear a report from the GCOS Secretariat, and possibly from other organizations.

Documents for the upcoming session

See also decisions on specific issues involving cooperation with international organizations, in particular: Capacity-building; Land-use, land-use change and forestry; and Research and systematic observation.

Key documents for earlier sessions

Key links