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DRAFTING GROUP OF THE COW

The drafting group of the Committee of the Whole (COW) met during the afternoon to review draft Chair's texts regarding national reports (UNEP/CBD/COP/2/CW/L.10), technology transfer (UNEP/CBD/COP/2/CW/L.3/Rev.1), and the clearing-house mechanism (CHM) (UNEP/CBD/ COP/2/CW/L.2/Rev.1).

Delegates debated whether national reports should provide broad overviews or focus on COP priority issues and agreed on a "focus, in so far as possible," on measures to implement Article 6. Parties will provide their first national reports at COP-4, at which time they will decide upon the interval and form of subsequent national reports. The Executive Secretary will be asked to prepare a report based on the national reports and other relevant information and to suggest next steps.

In the draft text on CHM, delegates: deleted calls for encouraging partnerships and assisting the development of country programmes; and added text noting that pilot-phase funding would come from the CBD budget and called for voluntary contributions.