Kazakhstan : a troubled road to Annex I
At a meeting of the COP-5 Plenary, Kazakhstan proposed an amendment to the UNFCCC to allow it to join Annex l. He told the Plenary that his country could fulfil the obligations set out in Articles 4.2.(a) and (b) due to the domestic economic conditions. A number of countries, including Saudi Arabia and the Marshall Islands, called for more information before a decision is taken. India was one of several countries concerned about the prospect of creating a precedent in the event of agreement to amend the Convention. He suggested that Kazakhstan could use Convention Article 4.2(g) to take on Annex l commitments. The COP President Jan Szyszko (Poland) said he would conclude consultations by the end of the COP session and report to the Plenary. Apart from the difficulties posed by the prospect of an amendment to the Convention, there is concern within delegations and NGOs about the possibility of introducing another source of 'hot air.'

The Kazakhstan statement is presented here on RealAudio.

Newsbyte:
Representatives of NGOs have been alarmed by findings in a Wageningen Univeristy research report that the entire potential of the Kyoto Protocol provision on "additional" human-induced LULUCF activities (Article 3.4) could allow for a vast increase in atmospheric emissions for a number of Annex l countries. These countries would still be in compliance with their assigned amounts. With one estimate that the inclusion of additional activities could introduce some 3000 million tonnes of GHGs annually for Canada, Australia, the US and the EU.

SBSTA : International transportation and greenhouse gas emissions
The International Maritime Organization [http://www.imo.org/] reported on its activities on the prevention of air pollution from ships including a study on greenhouse emissions. The full statement is presented here on RealAudio:

Part 1 | Part 2 |

In a statement to SBSTA, the International Civil Aviation Organization [http://www.icao.org/] reported that its Assembly had adopted a resolution calling on its subsidiary bodies to "study policy options to limit or reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from civil aviation, taking into account the findings of the IPCC Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere, and the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol." The ICAO reported on a Draft Action Plan on aircraft engine emissions, market-based options, and an evaluation of emissions trading systems.

the full statement is presented here in RealAudio.

SBSTA special presentations:The Brazilian proposal
	Luiz Gylvan Meira Filho, President of the Brazilian Space Agency (left), presented an update on the scientific and methodological aspects of the Brazilian proposal to facilitate a distribution of the burden of achieving a stabilisation of GHG emissions, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The full statement is presented here on RealAudio: Part one      Part two      Part three
Evening Plenary (Story above)
	COP President Jan Szyszko presided over the evening Plenary
Bulat Yessekin of the Kazakhstani delegation proposed an amendment to the UNFCCC to allow it to join Annex l The Kazakhstan statement is presented here on RealAudio
	Melih Akalin, Turkey, supported the proposals that Turkey be removed from the lists in Annexes I and II
The EU (represented here by Birgitta Stenius-Mladenov, Finland) noted that its future national systems would fulfill quality and time requirements, and expressed concern about the continuous increase in GHG emissions since 1997.
	Elwaleed El Malik, United Arab Emirates
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar talks to the delegation of Kazakhstan after the Plenary session

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