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This report and the note prepared by the secretariat on transfer of technology (FCCC/SBI/1996/5) contain relatively little information on adaptation technologies. This may be partially due to a lack of understanding over what constitutes an ada, *ation technology or process and as such is a fundamental problem that may be solved if categories of adaptation technologies and processes could be developed and elaborated upon. The SBSTA may wish to consider whether this aspect of the request to the secretariat under decision 13/CP.1 would initially benefit from consideration by the intergovernmental technical advisory panel, should one be established, or the IPCC. The SBSTA may also wish to refer to the provisional tasks identified in FCCC/SBSTA/1996/2.

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E. Research and development

Technologies that are in the research and development (R&D) stage represent one form of "innovative" technology, although other technologies may also fall into this category. Information on technologies that may emerge from R&D laboratories could be useful for å number of purposes, for example, in mathematical models that develop national scenarios of future emissions or to guide international R&D priorities. In some cases, however, information on technologies in the R&D stage may be difficult to obtain because it is considered proprietary or simply has not been published in the literature available to the public. Nevertheless, considerable information could be assembled, and Parties may wish to consider whether this aspect of the technology assessment should be undertaken by either the intergovernmental technical advisory panel, should one be established, or the IPCC.

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V. FURTHER WORK

There was relatively little time for many Parties and intergovernmental organizations to respond to the request by the secretariat for information on technology. The secretariat believes that many other valuable reports and information sources exist and could be made available to the Parties, given additional time. It therefore encourages Parties or intergovernmental organizations to forward existing materials to the secretariat as well as providing new information as it becomes available. (It would be desirable for the secretariat to receive technology information routinely to serve as a basis for future reports.) The secretariat will revise its technology database, improve the presentation, provide a regularly updated compilation of information to the SBSTA, and draw up a long-term work