The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) informal workshop on the development of the five-year programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation was held from 17-19 October 2005, at the Wissenschaftszentrum in Bonn, Germany. More than fifty participants from Annex I and non-Annex I parties, as well as non-governmental organizations, were in attendance. The purpose of the workshop was to develop common ground and understanding on the possible content, structure, process for implementation and modalities of the programme of work.
The workshop was convened following a request from the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) at its twenty-second session in May 2005, for the UNFCCC Secretariat to organize, under the guidance of the Chair of the SBSTA, an informal workshop to facilitate the development of the programme of work on adaptation before SBSTA 23, with a view to recommending a decision to COP 11 in November/December 2005.
The workshop presented an opportunity for parties to exchange views on what the content of the SBSTA five-year programme of work might be. Discussion centered on four possible thematic or action areas identified in decision 1/CP.10, namely: methodologies, data and modelling; vulnerability assessments; adaptation planning, measures and actions; and integration into sustainable development. Options for the process of implementation and modalities of the programme of work were also addressed. As a basis for discussion, participants used first a discussion paper prepared by the Secretariat based on submissions by parties and discussions at the in-session workshop and at the contact group on adaptation at SBSTA 22, and then an informal summary of the discussion at the workshop prepared by the Co-Chairs.
The agenda of the workshop was fully dedicated to a discussion of the programme of work. On Monday and Tuesday, 17-18 October, participants exchanged general comments and addressed the possible thematic areas identified in decision 1/CP.10 and elaborated upon in the discussion paper. On Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, 19 October, participants turned their attention to the Co-Chairs’ informal summary of the discussion. At the end of the meeting, the Co-Chairs presented a revised version of the informal summary of the discussion incorporating comments from the workshop. This revised summary, which is an advance version of the SBSTA Chair’s summary of the workshop, was not open for comments but will be posted on the UNFCCC website within a period of two weeks. Read more.
