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aggregating and comparing inventory data also arose (for example, the use of adjustments to account for climatic conditions or electricity imports) on which guidance is needed.

Policies and measures

5. All reporting Parties are implementing policies and measures to mitigate climate change; most reported actions targeted at the three major greenhouse gases, although the focus was clearly on CO2. Variations in the level of detail of the descriptions of policies and measures (in particular, the status of implementation and estimates of effects) complicated the synthesis process. The following main policy thrusts emerged:

6.

Increased competition, improved efficiency and fuel switching in power
generation

Improving the efficiency of industrial equipment and processes

Improving automobile fuel efficiency, controlling emissions, encouraging
public transportation

Improving energy efficiency in buildings, mechanical systems and appliances
Reducing emissions from animals and nitrogen fertilizer use

Preserving forest biomass and encouraging afforestation

Minimizing waste and reducing emissions from landfills

The residential, commercial and institutional, transport and industry end-use sectors appear to be where the Parties were most active. When taking into account the limited information on projected effects of measures, the residential, commercial and institutional sector emerges as a major contributor to expected CO2 emissions limitations.

7. A wide array of policy instruments were reported as being used. Regulatory activity focused on appliance and industrial equipment standards, vehicle emission standards for precursors, building codes and forest preservation. There was widespread use of economic instruments, although subsidies, rebates and incentives predominated over taxes, except in a few cases; they were used to improve the efficiency of power generation, promote renewable energy and alternative fuels, encourage the use of public transport and promote afforestation. Taxes were most frequently mentioned in the transport and waste sectors, although broadlybased taxes were mentioned by some Parties. Voluntary agreements were mentioned particularly where large industries were involved. Information and education programmes were notable in the agriculture and waste sectors and in regard to consumer choices in most sectors. Most Parties also reported on research and development programmes aimed at developing technologies or practices to reduce emissions, particularly with regard to energy.

8.

The significance of international cooperation for climate change policies and measures was noted frequently, particularly when they could potentially affect trade flows.

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Projections and effects of measures

9. All Parties provided "with measures" projections. In most cases, they addressed the three major greenhouse gases as well as removals by sink in 2000; in some cases, they also gave projections for other gases and precursors. One Party provided figures for 2005 and not for 2000. Detailed information on projections of emissions and removals is provided in tables 1-7. The projections are not comparable between Parties and the individual national totals have not been added. Nine Parties provided estimates of the total effects of measures, often noting methodological difficulties but no clear conclusions emerged.

10.

The projections were developed using different approaches and assumptions, although the latter were in line with those used elsewhere. Most Parties provided enough information to allow for a qualitative understanding of the approaches used, although it was often not clear which policies and measures were reflected in the projections. Some Parties adjusted their base year figures upward for reasons of climatic anomalies or electricity imports.

11. The "with measures" projections reveal a different pattern for CO2 emissions than for emissions of other gases. The following observations compare projected figures for 2000 with the 1990 figures used in developing the projections (three of which included "adjustments") rather than with the 1990 inventory figures, since the projections were derived from the former.

12. For CO2 emissions (excluding land use change and forestry) (table 1), nine Parties projected an increase to the year 2000 in the absence of additional measures. Five Parties projected stabilization or a decrease for 2000. Another Party projected only a decrease for 2005. Seven Parties projected increased "net" CO2 removals, from the land use change and forestry sector for 2000, two Parties projected stable removals and one Party, decreasing removals. (The main effect of adjustments is shown in table 1.)

13.

For CH, (table 3), all but two Parties projected decreases. No clear picture emerges for N2O (table 4). Few Parties provided projections of other gases (table 5), but for those that did, emissions of PFCs were decreasing, while emissions of HFCs were increasing. If IPCC-1994 GWP values are used to aggregate the emission data for all gases, projected emission levels in 2000 were below 1990 levels for five Parties and above for nine Parties (table 6). One Party projected a decrease to 2005. For three of the Parties whose emissions were projected to grow, the increase was less than 2 per cent. If CO2 removals are included (table 7), then seven Parties project decreases on a CO2 equivalent basis.

14.

In due time, it will be possible to assess the achievement of the aim of returning emissions to 1990 levels by 2000 by comparing the inventory figures for those two years. At

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present, a comparison of CO2 projections for 2000 with inventories for 1990, would suggest a somewhat greater need for additional measures than is indicated by the above analysis.

15.

Several Parties stated that their projections, which incorporated current policies and measures, did not necessarily reflect what they expected their emission levels to be in 2000 as they intended to develop and implement further measures.

Finance, technology and capacity building

16.

All 14 Annex II Parties that submitted national communications have made commitments to contribute to the replenished Global Environment Facility (GEF); all but one of them contributed to the GEF pilot phase. The level of "new and additional" resources, however, cannot be determined on the basis of the communications as there is no agreed benchmark against which to measure this. Although financing through the GEF is defined in the GEF Instrument as "new and additional", only a few communications indicated explicitly that their contributions to the GEF were "new and additional". All GEF contributions were reported as total contributions to the Facility rather than to the climate change focal area.

17. All Annex II Parties reported on some activities implemented through bilateral, regional or multilateral channels. It was not possible to aggregate the reported resource flows owing to lack of comparable data. Much effort was reported on capacity building, especially as regards country studies and inventories. With regard to adaptation and vulnerability assessment, most of the activities could be characterized as preparatory studies.

18. The discussion on technology transfer centred on approaches and mechanisms for transfer with limited discussion of specific activities. About half of the communications also reported on bilateral and multilateral assistance to countries with economies in transition.

Other commitments and issues

19. All but one communication discussed vulnerability to, and the expected impacts of, climate change. Coastal zone impacts, including sealevel rise, and impacts on the agricultural sector were frequently mentioned. All Parties but one included discussion of adaptation measures and five indicated they were developing or implementing such measures.

20.

All communications provided information on research and systematic observation activities. Similarly, all communications discussed education programmes and training related to climate change as well as public participation in responding to climate change.

21.

The provisions of Article 4.6 were mentioned by one Party but without making a specific request at this time. Seven Parties discussed joint implementation.

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The review and synthesis process

22.

The experience of analysing and synthesizing the communications confirmed the usefulness of dialogue with reporting Parties. The in-depth reviews will be important opportunities to obtain a better understanding of the communications and of the actions of Parties to implement the Convention. They should also result in an improved basis for the second synthesis document. The review process has also revealed some aspects of the guidelines for the preparation of communications that would benefit from further work. Time did not permit a systematic review of the guidelines but this could be done by the secretariat for the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice.

23.

II. INTRODUCTION

A. Background

The Framework Convention on Climate Change requires each Party included in Annex I to submit, within six months of the entry into force of the Convention for it, information as specified in Articles 4.2(b) and 12. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee agreed on guidelines for the preparation of first communications by Annex I Parties ("the guidelines") to promote consistency, transparency and comparability among communications3 (see A/AC.237/55, annex I, decision 9/2).

24. The national communications began to come due on 21 September 1994. The following 15 Parties submitted their communications to the interim secretariat in time to be considered in the preparation of this document:

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These Parties accounted for 41 per cent of global emissions of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion in 1990.*

25. An additional three communications have been received. Those of Hungary and Ireland were submitted before their deadlines but not in time to be considered in the

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preparation of the present document; that of Monaco was a partial submission. Three Parties required to do so, the European Economic Community, Iceland and Portugal have not submitted communications at the time of writing, although work is in progress. Details regarding the due dates, submission and receipt of the national communications can be found in document A/AC.237/INF.16/Rev.2.

26.

B. The review and synthesis process

The Committee requested the interim secretariat to prepare a compilation and synthesis of the national communications for consideration at the eleventh session and for subsequent submission to the first session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 1) (see A/AC.237/76, annex I, decision 10/1). In responding to this request, the secretariat was assisted by experts it selected from nominations submitted by Governments and intergovernmental organizations. All these persons worked with the secretariat in Geneva. In addition, a number of experts served as special advisers on particular subjects. They worked from their offices but travelled to Geneva for meetings.

27. The Governments of China, Cuba, Italy, the Russian Federation and the United States provided experts as did the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). Special advisers were from Brazil, Finland, Japan, Netherlands and Thailand. A number of consultants were also engaged, with a view to strengthening the secretariat's present capacitiy and obtaining a better geographical balance in the sources of expertise.

28. The review and synthesis process was marked by very strict deadlines with the aim of making the document available in the official languages of the United Nations for the eleventh session of the Committee. The period from 26 September until 4 November 1994 saw an initial technical analysis of the individual communications and the development of synthesized information. In some cases, additional data were requested from submitting Parties; such data were taken into account to the extent possible. A second phase, from 4 November to 2 December 1994, saw the final drafting of the compilation and synthesis. Experts from Governments and organizations were involved principally in the first phase. 29. This compilation and synthesis is part of a broader communication and review process, the basis of which is the national communications themselves. These are the authoritative sources of information on actions by Parties to implement their commitments. Another important element of this process is the in-depth review of each communication. Preparation for these reviews has been initiated and, subject to a decision by COP 1, the

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