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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (ARTICLE 24)

There was lengthy discussion of elements to be included in Article 24 during Tuesday night's meeting of the Chair's Group. Based on these discussions, INCD Chair Bo Kjell‚n circulated a non-paper Wednesday afternoon. The text proposes the establishment of a sessional Committee on scientific and technological matters along the lines of Article 9 in the Climate Change Convention. The non-paper also proposes the establishment of a roster of independent experts to be nominated by Governments. This roster would be available for consultation in whatever way the COP decides, in the form of panels to give advice on specific subjects or problem areas. Some members of the G-77 appeared to support this proposal, since it would give them influence on the choice of scientists. Some OECD countries still expressed concern that such a roster of "experts" would tend to contain more policy makers and diplomats than true scientific experts. Nevertheless, the Chair was hopeful that the ideas in this non-paper could be accepted by the Committee.