Espoo, Finland | 2 - 4 July 2003

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Friday 4 | On Friday, 4 July, participants met to continue discussing cross cutting issues in the Rio conventions, including research and systematic observation, reporting, and impacts and adaptation. Regarding research and systematic observation, panel discussants noted the considerable overlap between the research and systematic observation needs of the Rio conventions, highlighted the inadequacy of policy-relevant data, and the need to develop an international mechanism for establishing terrestrial observation. On reporting requirements under the conventions, panelists stressed the importance of reports being relevant at national and international levels, and highlighted the difference between streamlining and harmonizing, the former facilitating reporting and the latter making data comparable. Panelists also emphasized that reports contribute to identifying potential synergies and conflicts, and stressed the need for building national reporting capacity.
 

	Diann Black-Layne, Environment Division, Antigua and Barbuda, emphasized the importance of mainstreaming reports.
	Ines Verleyne, Federal Office for Consumer Interests, Public Health and Environment, Belgium, stresses the need for a more practical approach to synergies.
	Benoit Gauthier, Canada, outlines the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment project.
	Jun Zhao, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, stresses the need for a clear definition of synergy, noting that it differs from cooperation.
	Outi Berghäll, Finland, stressed the need for policy-relevant cross-sectoral research.
	Klas Österberg, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, presents an overview of Swedish forest monitoring activities related to the Rio conventions.
	José Romero, Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscapes, Switzerland, noted that there is a need to harmonize reporting for different conventions.

Link |
More information on this meeting is available from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: http://unfccc.int/sessions/workshop/020703/index.html.