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Highlights
from Thursday, 23 November:
 Delegates (right photo) met late morning for an
informal high-level Plenary session to receive briefings on
Wednesday night's negotiations. This session was followed in the
afternoon by bilateral and multilateral informal consultations.
Shortly before 8:00 pm, a note by COP-6 President Pronk was
distributed outlining proposals to assist in moving towards a
"package deal" on outstanding issues, and early Friday morning,
delegates reconvened for a short informal Plenary to be briefed by
President Pronk.
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Informal High Level Plenary and Consultations:
Box A
CAPACITY
BUILDING, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, ADVERSE EFFECTS AND GUIDANCE
to the GEF
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 Co-facilitators
Ministers Mabudhafasi and Auken
reported that there had been some progress on technology transfer
and capacity building, while questions on the financial issue
remained. On adverse effects, Minister Auken said there was deadlock
on key issues, and that assistance from contact group co-chairs
Salamat and Kjellén had been requested. He also said a separate EU
proposal on financial issues had been presented and that, along with
the proposal submitted by the Umbrella Group, there was substantial
material on which to negotiate.
Left photo: H.E. Minister Svend Auken (Denmark) making an intervention during the informal high-level
plenary
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MECHANISMS
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 Co-facilitator
Minister Kawaguchi said there were too many issues to deal with. She said agreement was near on details relating to the CDM,
including: financial additionality; fast track on small projects;
use of share of proceeds from CDM for adaptation; environmental
additionality; no list for project eligibility. Composition of the
Executive Board and its relationship with the COP/MOP remained
undecided. She noted progress on emissions trading, registries and
participation, but indicated that no agreement had been reached on
liability. On the cross-cutting issues, she stated that there was
agreement on eligibility of Annex I Parties to use mechanisms, but
disagreement on how to use share of proceeds, as well as on
fungibility and supplementarity.
Above photo (L-R): H.E. Siv Fridleifsdottir
(Iceland) in discussions with H.E. Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi (Japan)
at the informal high-level plenary
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| LULUCF
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 H.E.
Minister Julia Carabias Lillo (Mexico)
said the informal group on LULUCF had split into two sub-groups the
night before, with one group focusing on the analysis of Article 3.4
(additional activities), and the other on the inclusion of LULUCF
activities under the CDM. On
the work of the former, she said ideas had been discussed for
discounting some elements, such as pre-1990 carbon uptake. On the
latter, she reported a common view within the group on the need to
address permanence, and that discussions had focused on the
possibility for further SBSTA consideration, with IPCC input, on
this matter. She said approaches for a first pilot phase of limited
LULUCF projects had been considered. She said the LULUCF group had now reached its limits, and
there was little prospect of convergence.
Right photo:
H.E. Minister Julia Carabias Lillo (Mexico)
reporting on progress from the informal group on LULUCF
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| COMPLIANCE,
POLICIES AND MEASURES, AND ACCOUNTING, REPORTING AND REVIEW
UNDER PROTOCOL ARTICLES 5, 7 AND 8 |
 H.E.
Minister Siri Bjerke
reported on the work carried out in the informal
small groups. On Articles 5 (methodological issues), 7
(communication of information) and 8 (review of information),
she said text on reporting under Protocol Articles 10 (existing
commitments) and 11 (financial mechanism) had been elaborated,
and the only bracket remaining in the decision on Article 8
related to the composition of the expert review teams. She said
further brackets remained on issues that were dependent on the
outcome of other groups. On demonstrable progress, she said the group had
converged around the idea that reporting should take place in
2005, as a report separate from national communications.
Right
photo: (middle) H.E. Siri Bjerke presenting her report
during the informal high-level plenary.
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The G-77/CHINA
noted that developing countries have the highest stakes
in these negotiations, and that the total packages as in
the Buenos Aires Plan of Action would need to be
reflected.
Right photo: H.E. Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura
speaking on behalf of the the G77/China during a press
briefing yesterday evening.
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On the way forward, President Pronk (left)
reassured delegates that the state of negotiations today did
not represent a set-back, just "stagnation." He noted the need
for a break-through, and stressed the crucial role of ministers in
the informal groups.
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Note by the
President
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 Shortly
before 8:00 pm, a Note by the President of COP-6 was distributed
to delegates. The Note was presented as an attempt by President
Pronk to provide a basis for further negotiations so as to generate
momentum, which he believed had stalled
The
note states that it addresses key unresolved issues contained in the
documents transmitted to the COP by the subsidiary bodies at the
close of their thirteenth sessions on 18 November. It also draws on
ideas emerging during the course of negotiations, and takes into
account the "state of play" at the conclusion of the four
informal sub-groups launched on 21 November. The note does not
address outstanding issues relating to Protocol Articles 5, 7 and 8,
suggesting these can be resolved once other issues have been dealt
with. It addresses outstanding issues in four sections based on the
"clusters" or "boxes" that formed the basis for negotiations
during the previous few days.
Above photo: Delegates are in a rush to get the
Presiden's note at the documentation area
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| Press
Conference:
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H.E. Frank Loy (USA) gave a press briefing outlining the
proposal for new funding for developing countries by the US and its
partners in the Umbrella Group.
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The G77/China met with the press and expressed their
disappointment with the way developed countries provide funding to
developing countries' climate change efforts.
Left photo (L-R): H.E Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura (Nigeria), H.E.
Suresh Prabhu (India) and H.E. Rejoice Mabudafhasi (South Africa)
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