Update for Friday,  20 July and Early Saturday, 21 July 2001

ENB BREAKING NEWS: As of 12: 30am, Saturday, 21 July

Pronk reports progress

Shortly after midnight Friday night/Saturday morning, President Pronk reported back to participants, noting that some good work had been done during the day's ministerial negotiations. He said discussions on the finance text were "fruitful" on a number of issues. There was consensus on the need for resources for adaptation and capacity building. He noted support for the proposed Adaptation fund and a Special Climate Change fund. However there were diverging views on whether the funding related to the UNFCCC or Protocol, although a compromise had been suggested. He noted discussion on the option of sharing financial contributions on the basis of criteria to be determined. However, many questions remained unanswered, with negotiations set to continue Saturday in the consultation group.  
Above photo L-R: President Pronk with Richard Kinley

Regarding discussions on the mechanisms, he said these had not yet reached the "fruitful" stage. However, he noted lengthy discussions on several issues, including equity, supplementarity and nuclear. He said Minister Pete Hodgson of New Zealand would convene further talks on this issue.  

On LULUCF, he said negotiators had focused on Article 3.4, and that there had been "movement." He noted agreement on the need for a set of common principles and environmental credibility and predictability. He said Ambassador Estrada of Argentina (right photo: far right with Executive Secretary Cutajar and  President Pronk) would convene discussions on LULUCF, and indicated that Minister Valli Moosa of South Africa would facilitate the group on compliance.  

President Pronk concluded the meeting stating that there is progress and he remains hopeful that Parties will be able to reach a compromise on the package as a whole in the two remaining days.  

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As of 10:45pm, Friday, 20 July: Top officials begin key talks

Government Ministers and other high-level officials have started substantive negotiations aimed at brokering a deal on the Kyoto Protocol here in Bonn. After some delays as procedural issues were resolved, Ministers have been meeting behind closed doors for much of the afternoon and evening. 

The talks are based on a Note by the Co-Chairs of the negotiating groups that met earlier this week (for more information visit: http://www.unfccc.int and search for document: FCCC/CP/2001/CRP.8). This Note presents a "streamlined document" that outlines clear options on all the key outstanding political issues.

So far, Ministers have discussed options in the text on financial issues, the mechanisms and land use, land-use change and forestry. No major breakthroughs have been reported at this stage, however. The high-level stage of negotiations are expected to conclude Sunday.

Please check this website for further updates on the latest events and news.

Delegates to the resumed Sixth Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC met in the morning to address matters related to the organization of the meeting's high-level talks. In the afternoon, Ministers and other high-level officials began substantive negotiations behind closed doors, focusing on financial issues, before taking up issues related to the mechanisms and land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). Late in the evening, President Pronk convened a brief Plenary session to update participants on progress. 


Right photo: Belgian Minister for Energy and Sustainable Development Olivier Deleuze, and Margot Wallstrom, EC Commissioner for the Environment, during a press conference

PLENARY:

President Pronk (left) reported on five decisions taken by the extended Bureau. He said the Bureau had decided that the substantive negotiations will take place on the basis of a Note by the Co-Chairs of the negotiating group (FCCC/CP/2001/CRP.8), a  "streamlined document" that outlines clear options on all the key outstanding political issues. Negotiations would take place in a closed main negotiating group, chaired by President Pronk and guided by the Plenary.

Negotiations would take place in a closed main negotiating group, chaired by President Pronk and guided by the Plenary. The group is to report to Plenary on a daily basis, and be composed of: one representative from the Environmental Integrity Group; three from CG-11; one from Central Asia and Moldova; five from the EU; six from the "Umbrella Group"; and nineteen from Non-Annex I Parties. Each representative may be assisted by two delegates. Various spin-off negotiating groups may be established if required, and the groups will be chaired by persons designated by the main group.  

Right photo: G77/CHINA delegates are in a frenzy to be selected to the closed negotiations chaired by president Pronk.

The G-77/CHINA called for a flexible approach on process, noting the possible need to modify the size, format or functioning of the group. He urged against having parallel political and technical negotiations. President Pronk emphasized that no parallel negotiations would occur if this could hamper the work of the group. Left photo: Ambassador Bagher Asadi, Chair of the G-77/China, during a press conference

MAIN NEGOTIATING GROUP:

The main negotiating group of ministers and other high-level officials began their work early afternoon, discussing the options for key issues set out under the Note by the Co-Chair of the negotiating group. This document sets out the key issues under four sections: funding, technology transfer and adverse effects; mechanisms; LULUCF; and compliance. Delegates discussed elements of the first three sections, and will take up compliance issues on Saturday morning.

Finance: Participants began by discussing the finance section of the Co-Chairs' Note. On funding and resource levels, delegates discussed the questions addressing  President Pronk's proposed Adaptation and Special Climate Change funds.

Mechanisms: The negotiating group commenced negotiation mid-afternoon on the fourteen issues relating to mechanisms outlined in the Co-Chairs' Note. On equity, two options are provided to describe the objective of reducing differences in per capita emissions between developing and developed country Parties: the first recognizes that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet their developmental needs, and affirms that developed country Parties shall continue to reduce their emissions through domestic [policies and measures] [actions] with a view to reducing per capita inequities in emissions; the second emphasizes, inter alia, that Annex I Parties shall implement and/or further elaborate policies and measures in accordance with national circumstances.

LULUCF: Delegates began discussing this issue Friday evening. The key questions they addressed related to whether or not there should be credits under Protocol Article 3.4 (additional activities) during the first commitment period.

Around COP6bis:

The official website for COP-6bis (Part 2). This site provides ready access to the Agenda and Daily Programme, Documents, and Press Corner for all press releases during the event. 
UNFCCC Secretariat's COP-6 web site  
Extended Photo Coverage of COP-6
UNFCCC Conference Live The Conference's Plenary and High Level Meetings will be broadcast live and on-demand on the Internet.
The Dutch Government website: The outreach website of the COP-6 host government
ENB coverage of SB-13 (Lyon), SB-12 (Bonn) ,  COP-5 and COP-6
Linkages Climate page with links to recent coverage of UNFCCC-related Workshops and an introduction to the climate change process.
Other COP-6 Online resources
Other climate change-related links (NGOs, research institutes, news sites, etc)

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