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Thirteenth Session of the Subsidiary Bodies of the UNFCCC
Lyon, France; 4 - 15 September 2000

 
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Highlights from Tuesday, 12 September
The Subsidiary Body for Implementation met in a morning session to discuss: venue of COP-7, administrative and financial matters; national communications from Annex I Parties on greenhouse gas inventory data from 1990-1998; national communications from non-Annex I Parties and provision of financial and technical support; and financial mechanism. Under financial mechanism, delegates discussed support to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a report of the GEF to the the COP. Following the SBI meeting, a question answer session took place with Mohamed El-Ashry, CEO and Chairman of the GEF. Extensive RealAudio from the GEF Q&A available below. Contact groups met to discuss: "Best practices" in policies and measures among Annex I Parties, Articles 5, 7 and 8; compliance; mechanisms; development and transfer of technologies; Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention and Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol; and LULUCF. Above right : Michael Zammit Cutajar, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC (on the left); and Mohamed El-Ashry, CEO/Chairman of the GEF. Extensive RealAudio from the GEF Q&A available below.


GEF Question and Answer Session

Parties engaged in an informal question-and-answer session with Mohammed El-Ashry, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

Right: Mohammed El-Ashry and Avani Vaish, Capacity Building Manager, GEF

RealAudio of El-Ashry's introductory remarks and update on the GEF's activities:
Part one  Part two

(more RealAudio of El-Ashry's statements below)


The Philippines stressed that capacity-building needs were already identified in the past, and expressed fears that the GEF's 2-year consultative process was a duplication of previous efforts. She reminded El-Ashry that Article 4.5 of the Convention is a commitment on the part of developed countries to provide access to environmentally sound technologies, and called on the GEF to help assure the flow of such technologies to developing countries. She concluded by asking "who is going to build the capacity of the capacity builders?"

The Netherlands asked whether the GEF might reconsider its current focus on mitigation projects in favor of other areas such as adaptation once the CDM is introduced. El-Ashry noted the limited guidance given by the COP on adaptation activities and added that the specifics of the CDM had yet to be decided. However, he assured Parties that duplication would be avoided.

In response to a comment by Kenya (left) on the difficulties faced in dealing with the implementing agencies, El-Ashry said the GEF was trying to address how to improve the responsiveness with the implementing agencies. In response to a question from Libya (right) suggesting that some developing countries had been excluded from certain projects, El-Ashry said Parties should communicate their concerns so these can be addressed.

"If we (the GEF) were perfect I would not have accepted a second term...I accepted it because I know we need to do more."


SBI meeting
On Annex I communications, France, for the EU, expressed satisfaction with the large number of Annex I Parties using the new reporting format. He noted with concern the continuing emissions increases in some countries.
On Annex I communications, Argentina noted successful measures undertaken by the UK and Germany to reduce emissions. He highlighted continuing emissions increases for the US, which he labeled a "difficult" partner in in the negotiation process.

On non-Annex I communications, the Philippines (left) said there had been a waste of resources in relation to the Consultative Group of Experts, and called for a review of the terms of reference.

Uruguay (right) thanked the GEF for its assistance.

On non-Annex I communications, China urged Annex II countries to provide adequate financial support to Consultative Group of Experts.
The SBI considered a report from the IPCC (right) on the progress made by the IPCC on the development of a program on capacity building which aims at strengthening the capacity of developing country experts in the process.

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