The most significant aspects of the COP 4 (Fourth Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention of Climate Change) were that for the first time COP was held in a developing country; the United States signed the Kyoto Protocol on Thursday (12 Nov’98) and Argentina’s unilateral announcement of accepting voluntary emission reduction, and that Argentina would make a commitment to lower emissions for the period 2008 to 2012, during the COP 5 next year.

The Fourth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) was held from 2-13 November, 1998 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was attended by over 5,000 participants. During the two-week meeting, delegates deliberated on the report of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA), Article 13 of the Convention, national communication from Annex I Parties, financial mechanism, development and transfer of technologies, review on adequacy of commitment, activities implemented jointly (AIJ), research and systematic observation; landuse change and forestry, Article 6 (JI), Article 12 (CDM), Article 17 (ET) of the protocol, and other matters under the provisional agenda.

When the Conference of the Parties last convened in Kyoto (COP 3: See Kalipada Chatterjee, DA, NLs, January’98, March’98) 10 months ago, governments were able to deliver historic results after a long effort: the adoption by industralised nations of legally binding emission reduction targets. In Buenos Aires, during COP 4, the focus was even more demanding: the designing of the ‘rules of the game for reaching these targets’ as Executive Secretary Michael Zammit Cutajar had put it.

Voluntary Commitment

Among the items of provisional agenda, Agenda 6: Voluntary Commitment by Non-Annex I Parties (requested by Argentina) sparked off considerable debate. During the opening session a majority of the developing nations rejected voluntary commitments that would mean reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Indonesia, on behalf of the G-77 / China proposed adoption of the provisional agenda without items 6. India recalled that the debate at Kyoto rejected the idea of voluntary commitments, stating that it is not implied in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. China noted that developed country emissions are projected to be 5% above 1990 levels by 2000 and 13% above 1990 levels by 2010. China distinguished developing country’s survival emissions from developed country’s luxury emissions and said developing countries face a risk of losing financial assistance and technology transfer under the FCCC. China further said voluntary commitments would create a new category of Parties under the FCCC and could destroy the unity of G-77 / China, and said that COP Presidency should remain neutral. Qatar, Togo, Cuba, Thailand and Uganda supported the G-77 / China. Delegates adopted the provisional agenda without item 6, as no consensus existed on its inclusion. The President noted that as several Parties had expressed interest in continuing discussion, she would facilitate informal consultation. China cautioned against the proposed informal consultation, stating they could jeopardize the neutrality of the Presidency.

Science of Climate Change

In a special event organised by the IPCC during COP 4, scientists (Bob Watson, Osvaldo Canziani of the IPCC and others) expressed categorical affirmation that human activity has a marked impact on the earth’s climate and suggested that instead of Annex I country’s 5% cut in gas emission from their 1990 levels, their commitment should be 15% below 1990 levels as proposed at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The panel also indicated that the phenomenon called El Nino though not caused by human activity, has increased in intensity in the last 20 years and will continue to increase.

During COP 4 the delegates considered the review of the adequacy of FCCC Article 4.2 (a) and (b). There was consensus among Parties that the current commitments were inadequate but did not agree on reasons nor on actions required.

Some voices heard during COP 4

In the opening plenary, Ms. Maria Julia Alsogaray, Argentine Secretary of Natural Resources and Sustainable development, President COP 4 in her address in the inaugural session said " it is not trivial that the meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Climate Change be held for the first time in a country belonging to the Southern hemisphere. The Convention on Climate Change Is undoubtedly the UN meeting with the strongest presence in the public opinion, as the issue it covers strikes a highly tangible and sensitive chord in all of mankind .... it is also the convention leading to the most intense disputes between historical responsibilities of the industrialized world and the need for the planet as a whole to conceive a productive development respectful of the environment .... Buenos Aires means good airs and we wish the ‘good airs’ to blow during our meeting so that we would adopt appropriate measures to stop the effects of climate change.

Michael Zammit Cutajar, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC in his welcome address said "symbolically, holding Conference of the Parties in a developing country is very significant. It underlines that climate Change is a global problem which, while it originates in the historical development patterns of the presently industrialised countries, requires the equitable participation of all countries in a global strategy to deal with it. It also reminds us of the vulnerability of poor countries and poor people to climate change .... Those who in good faith adopted the Kyoto Protocol must now get down to the task of putting it into effect and designing its mechanisms - mechanisms that will provide flexibility, ensure credibility and promote sustainable development". Many developing countries are taking actions in promoting their national sustainable development, that are lowering their emission trends.

 The transfer of technology and financial resources called for by the Convention, as well as the Clean Development Mechanism envisaged by the Kyoto Protocol, will support developing countries in progressing down the path of sustainable development."

In the High Level Segment of COP 4

Argentine President Carlos Menem stated that at COP 5 Argentina will make a commitment to lower emissions for the commitment period 2008 to 2012.
AOSIS representative said that the Argentine voluntary commitment must not be allowed to detract from the commitments of the Annex I Parties in the Protocol.
G 77/ China stressed that active leadership to prevent global warming must come from developed country Parties; domestic action must provide the main means for meeting commitments to combat climate change; and flexibility mechanisms were supplemented and their use must be subject to strict rules of acceptability and compliance. The G 77/China stressed that their participation in mitigating Climate Change depends of the effective implementation of developed country commitments in the field of technology transfer and financial resources.

Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ)

The Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body on Science and Technology Assessment (SBSTA) considered the status of the AIJ pilot phase. The Secretariat provided a report on the 95 projects, and the main methodological issues. During the discussion it was observed that AIJ was separate from the mechanisms arising from the Kyoto Protocol. Though the number of projects increased, representation was poor. It was further observed that there were in-sufficient details to draw conclusions and the pilot phase should be extended. During the final plenary it was decided that 

AIJ pilot phase be continued, and invited Parties to make submissions on projects for review to enable a decision to be made by the end of the present decade.

In a joint SBI/SBSTA plenary, delegates discussed the Protocol’s flexibility mechanisms contained in Article 6 (Joint Implementation), Article 12 (Clean Development Mechanism) and Article 17 (Emission trading).

There were considerable discussions on adaptation, sustainable development, capacity building, vulnerability of countries to climate change, concept of supplementarity and strong domestic action by Annex I countries.

During the final plenary on Saturday, 14 November the COP adopted a decision that included a work programme on mechanisms. The decision contained several elements, inter alia, prioritization of the CDM, a final decision on Protocol Articles 6 (JI), 12 (Clean Development Mechanism) and 17 (Emission trading) at COP 6. In the Protocol the developed countries have accepted legally binding reduction targets, and it was a priority for a thorough technical examination and agreement on the rules and procedures, methodologies for ERUs, CERs, credit sharing, type of projects, monitoring, verification, certification, baseline, innovative financing, adaptation funds, quantified sustainable development indicators etc. of the three flexible mechanism - political decision can follow. Therefore the three flexible mechanisms were not only the focus of the fourth conference of the Parties (COP 4) at Buenos Aires but also of all the special events that took place during COP 4 in Buenos Aires.

There was considerable discussion on the importance of sinks in the project based mechanism and to prioritize the CDM and operationlize it by 1 January 2000. Some delegates said that CDM should not be the sole means of technology transfer. Views were expressed to treat all the three flexibility mechanisms in parallel and that part of the proceeds from these mechanism be mobilized to finance the transfer of technologies for adaptation for developing countries. CDM must contribute to sustainable development in the host country. On baselines, it was felt that for CDM, project based rather than sectoral or national baseline should be used to avoid imposition of targets on Non-Annex I Countries.

Article 3.4 of the Protocol stipulates that the COP will decide modalities, rules and guidelines as to how and which additional human induced activities in the agricultural soils and LUCF categories are to be added to afforestation, reforestation and deforestation activities. Article 3.9 also notes that those additional activities could be used to meet a Party’s assigned amount taking into account uncertainties, transparency in reporting, verifiability, the methodological wok of the IPCC, and advice provide by the SBSTA.

In relation to Article 3.3 of the Protocol, SBSTA confirmed that the adjustment to a Party’s assigned amount shall be equal to verifiable changes in carbon stocks during the period 2008-2012 resulting from direct human-induced activities of afforestation, reforestation and deforestation since 1 January 1990. Where the result of this calculation in a net sink, this value shall be added to Party’s assigned amount. When the result of this calculation is a net emission, this value shall be subtracted from the Party’s assigned amount.

The COP 4 called for the organization of a second SBSTA workshop prior to the tenth session to focus on issues related to Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol (such as methodologies uncertainties, and resources and data needs).

Technology Transfer

COP 4 discussed at great length the issues connected with technology transfer. The views expressed by members are as follows:

Without practical technical know-how technology transfer would be impossible. The need for considering adaptation as well as mitigation was also stressed. Since technology transfer relates to the Convention on Climate Change it should not be linked to Kyoto Protocol. The need for assessing experiences of member countries noting minimal progress in technology transfer since 1992 was brought out. Some members favoured focusing on existing technologies while assessing experiences over emerging technologies. Noting the need for an enabling environment and the potential of the CDM, many members said that the private sector should be the main vehicle for technology transfer.

Barrier to Technology Transfer

Since the progress of technology transfer is very slow, there is a need to look into the barriers for such transfers and take remedial measures.

There was a proposal for establishment of an internet based network to enhance information dissemination. There was a proposal that the SBSTA should prepare a report on technology transfer and development efforts by Parties for consideration by SBSTA at its next session. G-77/China prepared a technology transfer mechanism (TTM) to assist developing / non-Annex I country Parties to obtain their need of environmentally sound technologies and know-how to address climate change, on non-commercial and preferential terms and thus contribute to the ultimate objective of the Convention.

COP 4 has not been able to achieve the set goals fully and much remains to be done before COP 6 in 2000 both by the Parties to the Climate Change Convention and Protocol from the developed and developing world and by the UNFCCC and SBSTA. Considerable efforts on operational research including setting up AIJ/CDM Facilitation center in the country are needed to operationalise the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. The centres of excellence in the NGO sector must play a critical and vital role in interfacing the civil society and policy makers in government and business in this process. The CDM is to start from 1 January 2000 itself. CDM should be viewed as an opportunity for developing countries like India. Government of India must initiate through institutions and independent sector organizations (NGOs) operational research on CDM urgently and on priority basis so that this tool (CDM) may be operated to the best of our advantage and provide India an opportunity for an early start of the CDM activities. India should be able to design appropriate and suitable CDM projects to address to country’s number one agenda poverty alleviation that would catalyze rapid and sustainable economic growth in our country. q

The author is the Manager, Global Environment Systems Group with the Environment Systems Branch of Development Alternatives.

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