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Sixth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
The Hague, The Netherlands; 13 - 24 November 2000

 

Highlights from Wednesday, 22 November:

Delegates convened in Plenary to hear statements from 34 Parties, thus completing the high-level segment that began on Tuesday. Senior government representatives also met in informal high-level Plenary sessions and closed informal consultations to advance negotiations on key outstanding issues. These negotiations focused on the following four "clusters" or "boxes" of key issues identified by COP-6 President Pronk: (a) capacity building, technology transfer, adverse effects and guidance to the GEF; (b) the mechanisms; (c) land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF); and (d) policies and measures (P&Ms), compliance, and accounting, reporting and review under Protocol Articles 5, 7 and 8.

>> Continued on Today's Negotiation page>> 


Above photo (L-R): Angry protesters that disrupted the Informal Consultations on Compliance met with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar and COP-6 President Jan Pronk who invited them to join the fora for discussions. The protesters however declined the invitation and walked out the of the session after giving a brief statement.

 Informal High Level Plenary and Consultations: Box A

 CAPACITY BUILDING, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, ADVERSE EFFECTS AND GUIDANCE
 to the GEF   

 
The informal high-level Plenary held in the morning began with a report by co-facilitator Minister Mabudhafasi (South Africa) on progress made Tuesday on "Box A" issues. She reported that participants had recognized the need to move toward concrete action, and highlighted the value of the presence of ministers to find agreement on key political issues.

Left photo: H.E. Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi (South Africa) making an intervention during the informal high-level plenary

MECHANISMS

During the morning informal high-level Plenary, co-facilitator Minister Kawaguchi (Japan) reported on progress made in the "Box B" group. She highlighted the remaining divergent positions on the issues of supplementarity, and said the EU had expressed interest in a possible qualitative ceiling. On fungibility and assigned amounts, she reported that India and the US were conducting consultations. On CDM, she said the majority opposed an indicative list of projects. She added that France, Korea, Brazil and Norway were working on the issue of a prompt start and that divergence remained on a possible unilateral CDM.

Left photo: H.E. Minister Kawaguchi (Japan) presenting her report to informal high-level plenary on progress made in the "Box B" group
LULUCF
Minister Carabias Lillo of Mexico (left) said the group in the afternoon had explored different conditions for including Article 3.4 activities, possibly even in the first commitment period, under controlled conditions. She explained that bilateral meetings had been held with the aim of exploring an approach to this, but the issue had not yet been resolved. She said the second meeting in the evening had focused on the inclusion of LULUCF activities under the CDM, and some agreement as well as concerns had emerged. She noted that the group would be able to bring forward proposals on the issues, but more time was needed.
COMPLIANCE, POLICIES AND MEASURES, AND ACCOUNTING, REPORTING AND REVIEW UNDER PROTOCOL ARTICLES 5, 7 AND 8



SWITZERLAND said the integrity of the review process requires that the competence of reviewers be a priority, and suggested training as a way to reach both this objective and ensure equitable geographical representation.  Following a question by President Pronk, he said it was reasonable to have full representation in only one of the two branches of the compliance committee.

Left photo: (L-R) Beat Nobs and Philippe Roch in a light discussion during the informal high-level plenary



ARGENTINA expressed concern over the adoption of a compliance regime and a possible amendment of the Protocol before its entry into force. Opposed by BRAZIL, he called on Parties not to push for the most comprehensive and complex regime, but one that will be "viable."

Right photo: Raul Estrada (Argentina) making a passionate intervention during the informal high-level plenary.


AUSTRALIA and the RUSSIAN FEDERATION argued for a non-binding regime and said their countries were more concerned about their own compliance than that of others.



Right photo: Member of the Russian delegation giving an intervention during the informal high-level segment 

Policies and Measures


Nigeria speaking on behalf of  the G-77/CHINA said the whole of Protocol Article 2 - including provision for minimizing adverse effects - should be referred to in the decision. He suggested keeping the reference to "Annex I Parties," as non-Annex I Parties would otherwise be required to implement these obligations. 

Right photo: H.E. Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura making an intervention during the informal high-level plenary.
CANADA supported the voluntary payments to a compliance fund to deal with mitigation projects. IRAN said such a fund should also minimize the adverse impact of response measures. AOSIS said payment in a voluntary fund would actually provide Parties with an additional flexible mechanism




Right photo: Lloyd Axworthy (Canada) making a statment during a Canadian press conference
PROTESTERS:


Above:  Photos of various protesters from left-right: sink stoppers stand in, sit ins outside the contact group and the beam climbers.



Extended Photo Coverage of COP-6

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