Update for Monday, 23 July 2001,  5:30pm 

Delegates to the resumed COP-6 met throughout the weekend and into Monday morning in high-level negotiations. Following extensive talks, Ministers and other senior officials met in a Plenary session late Monday morning, where they agreed to a proposed draft decision produced by President Pronk. The decision sets out a political text outlining core elements for the implementa­tion of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA).

Extended Photo Coverage of COP-6bis  

UNFCCC Conference Live-COP-6bis 

In cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat, the ENB will also publish ENB on the side - a special daily report on selected side events from COP-6bis.  a special daily report on selected side events from COP-6bis.   

BREAKTHROUGH IN BONN

Ministers and other high-level officials (above) have agreed on key political issues relating to the Kyoto Protocol. The breakthrough came when they finally agreed on text relating to compliance.

At 11:55 am Monday, 23 July, delegates reconvened (left) in a Plenary session of the COP. President Pronk reported that intense negotiations had been undertaken throughout the night on the section on compliance, and had concluded around 10:00 am.

He introduced the draft decision resulting from negotiations, which is contained in two informal papers entitled "core elements for the implementation of the BAPA." The first, dated 21 July, was distributed Saturday night (see Pronk's "core elements" proposal on page one). The second, dated 23 July, contains the revised text on compliance. The compliance text was amended in three key areas: consequences to be applied by the enforcement branch shall aim at ensuring "environmental integrity" rather than "reparation of damage to the environment"; the stipulation that payments be made to "repair damage to the environment" is deleted; and COP-6 adopts the compliance regime and recommends to COP/MOP-1 the adoption, in terms of Article 18 (compliance), of procedures and mechanisms relating to compliance.   Listen to the adoption of the "core elements for the implementation of the BAPA." 

Commenting on the draft decision, President Pronk noted that some legal and technical points will also have to be cleared up in the text. He then proposed that the COP approve the draft decision on the understanding that the formal adoption will follow at its next Plenary meeting when the text has been issued as an official conference paper. The COP adopted the decision, with a standing ovation (left photo)

Thanking all delegates and staff for their cooperative spirit and devotion to reach a result, President Pronk (left middle) said this result was necessary not just for the climate but to underline the value of multilateral negotiations within the framework of the UN.

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar (above photo: far left) thanked President Pronk, all the Parties, the UNFCCC Secretariat and his colleagues from the wider UN family, for giving him "such a bright and hopeful moment."

In general statements, many Parties expressed satisfaction at the adoption of the decision. IRAN, for the G-77/CHINA, said this was an "honorable deal" that represents a historic achievement and "the triumph of multilateral negotiations over unilateralism

The EU said the agreement was historic and, with the ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY GROUP, stressed that it was very positive for the international community. He said the door had been left open for a country that considers that the Protocol is not the best tool to address climate change, to join at a later stage. He then read the text of a Political Declaration submitted by the EU, Canada, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand and Switzerland on funding to developing countries, which includes an engagement to provide an annual contribution of US$ 410 million by 2005.  

AUSTRALIA said the Umbrella Group would meet its responsibilities. CANADA announced that it would allocate ten million dollars to jump-start the fund to help meet the adaptation needs of LDCs. CHINA thanked the EU and others for their Political Declaration and said the agreement had demonstrated that, in times of crisis, the international community continues to move in the right direction. JAPAN expressed pleasure in joining the consensus that constitutes a vital step towards realizing the entry into force of the Protocol by 2002. She added that a global effort is needed to achieve the Protocol's objectives. CG-11 said individual members promised to do their best to engage the Protocol ratification process and hoped the "skeptical" country would join the global endeavor.  

The US noted that the COP recognizes a segregation between funding under the UNFCCC and the Protocol. She added that the fact that the US did not seek to block consensus did not change her country's view that the Protocol is "not sound policy." The RUSSIAN FEDERATION said that although his country is not currently able to join in financial assistance to developing countries, he thinks it will be able to do so sometime in the future. SAUDI ARABIA said that, in spite of some concerns, it had agreed to join the consensus.

The meeting closed at 2:05 pm.

10:30am, Monday 23 July

Marathon Negotiations May come to a positive end Afterall!

Marathon negotiations ends on signs of a BREAKTHROUGH, plenary imminent and expected to commence at 11AM, more to come ....

1:45am, Monday 23 July
COMPLIANCE SECTION FINAL STUMBLING BLOCK

President Pronk is holding final talks aimed at making a breakthrough on compliance, the area that appears to be the final stumbling block to an agreement.

At 12:30 am Monday, 23 July, President Pronk reconvened a meeting to update participants on progress. He reported that he had not produced a new text because he believed an agreement remained possible on his "core elements" proposal. He said that although ongoing consultations had managed to address some Parties' concerns, not all problems had been cleared up. Suggesting that Groups' overriding remaining concerns were in the compliance section, he said further consultations would be held on that section only. He suggested that if delegates could not reach agreement, he would bring the text back for adoption in Plenary as it stands. The plenary is currently scheduled to meet at 4:00 am.

Extended Photo Coverage of COP-6bis  

UNFCCC Conference Live-COP-6bis 

In cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat, the ENB will also publish ENB on the side - a special daily report on selected side events from COP-6bis.   

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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