ENB @ UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies: 31 May

UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies SBI-10 and SBSTA-10
MARITIM HOTEL, BONN, GERMANY
31 May - 11 June 1999
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UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies get down to work
On day one of the tenth sessions of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies in Bonn, participants met informally in the morning for consultations on compliance and a Joint Working Group (JWG), which is to begin discussions on the issue Wednesday. The JWG will be co-chaired by Harold Dovland (Norway) and Espin Rønneberg (Marshall Islands). The European Union repeated its view that a "comprehensive, coherent, unified, strong, efficient and effective compliance system is essential for the successful implementation and application of the Kyoto Protocol." The EU is calling for a preventive approach to compliance, with provision to help Parties fulfil their obligations. The EU also supports soft and hard measures to ensure full and timely implementation. NGOs are pressing for the JWG to determine which commitments in the Protocol are relevant to its mandate by developing a list of those commitments, and to identify issues to be handled i.e. review discussion, flexible mechanisms.

In the afternoon the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Michael Zammit Cutajar, invited the Subsidiary Body for Implementation and the Subsidiary Body for Technological Advice to identify some politically significant outcomes for COP-5 and help build momentum for COP-6, given that the deadlines in the Buenos Aires Plan of Action focus on COP-6. He invited delegations to focus on capacity building for developing countries, national communications from non Annex I countries and the transition from the pilot phase of the Activities Implemented Jointly to implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism.

On Tuesday, the SBI and SBSTA meet in joint session to begin consideration of items on compliance, the pilot phase of the Activities Implemented Jointly and the Kyoto Mechanisms. The joint session will convene the JWG. The subsidiary bodies will meet separately in the afternoon.

Photo and RealAudio from 31 May
SBSTA Opening Plenary
Kok Kee Chow, Chair of SBSTA (second from the left) emphasized SBSTA's role in ensuring that the Buenos Aires Plan of Action's goals are met
	Michael Zammit Cutajar, FCCC Executive Secretary, emphasized COP-5's importance as a potential "stepping stone" to produce outcomes that strengthen and maintain national capacities for developing countries and economies in transition. He said the subsidiary body sessions should identify what COP-5 needs to achieve and what other meetings and workshops are needed to help implement COP-6's objectives
View from the dais, looking out over the delegates of SBSTA.
SBI Opening Plenary
	The conference secretariat gather their thoughts prior to the opening of the SBI.
Bakary Kante, Chair of the SBI said that, following consultations with the COP Bureau, the second review of adequacy of commitments would be addressed at COP-6; Turkey's request to be taken out of Annex I would be discussed in the run-up to COP-5; and Kazakhstan's request to amend Annex I would be on the provisional agenda for COP-5. Micheal Zammit Cutajar and Chair Kante exchange best wishes at the closure of the Opening Plenary
	Prof. Zhong (China) said the item on the timing of second non-Annex I communications was premature, as only 11 developing countries had submitted first national communications. He attributed this delay to the GEF. Executive Secretary Zammit Cutajar's response to the Chinese intervention and his thoughts on the provisional agenda
Chair Bakary Kante (third from right) introduced the new officers, Mohammad Reza Salamat (Iran), Vice-Chair of SBI and Klaus Radunsky (Austria), Rapporteur.
Miscellaneous photos
	Jonathan Pershing (IEA) and Peer Stiansen (Norway) in a workshop on domestic emissions trading schemes.
Chad Carpenter, of the ENB, being interviewed by Canadian TV reporters.

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