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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AGBM

The first Conference of the Parties (COP-1) to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Berlin from 28 March to 7 April 1995, established an open-ended Ad Hoc Group on the Berlin Mandate through its decision FCCC/CP/1995/7/Add.1/Decision 1/CP.1, also referred to as the "Berlin Mandate." In the Berlin Mandate (BM), the COP agreed to begin a process to enable it to take appropriate action for the period beyond 2000, including the strengthening of commitments of Annex I Parties in Article 4.2(a) and (b) of the Convention, through the adoption of a protocol or another legal instrument.

The priority aim of the BM is the strengthening of commitments in Article 4.2 (a) and (b) of the Convention for Annex I Parties, both to elaborate policies and measures, and to set quantified limitation and reduction objectives within specified time-frames such as 2005, 2010 and 2020 for anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) not controlled by the Montreal Protocol. The BM states that the process will not introduce any new commitments for non-Annex I Parties.

At its first session (AGBM 1), the AGBM considered several issues, including an analysis and assessment to identify possible policies and measures for Annex I Parties and requests for inputs to subsequent sessions. Delegates debated the nature, content and duration of the analysis and assessment and its relationship to other aspects of the process. Several developed and developing countries stressed that analysis and assessment should be conducted in parallel and not prior to negotiations, but a few developing countries held that more time was needed, particularly to evaluate economic costs. Regarding inputs to subsequent sessions, Parties differed widely in the number of requested inputs, with some developed countries emphasizing the need to avoid delay, while others sought a more comprehensive approach to increase the AGBM's options. Many developing countries requested minimal inputs, stating that a wealth of information already existed, while a few, mainly oil producing countries emphasized the need for further study on economic impacts. AGBM 1 adopted an agenda of work for its second session, but failed to elect its Bureau.

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