(e) FCCC/SBSTA/1997/14 English To develop and improve existing methodologies and guidelines to assess GHG sinks, and other gases not yet included in the IPCC assessment, such as nitrogen fluoride. (a) Would delaying action increase the risk of surprises, in particular in the form of rapid and/or irreversible changes to the climate system? (b) (c) With respect to equity-related issues: What are the linkages between historic emissions and future climate How can barriers be removed to facilitate the transfer of technologies What are the technological options for adaptation, particularly low-cost options, for developing countries? (d) (e) What are the costs of action and inaction in response to climate change? What are the linkages between the El Niño phenomenon, changes in regional precipitation and extreme weather events, on the one hand, and global warming, on the other hand? (1) What are the interactions between climate change and other environmental changes; what are their implications for policies responses; and what are the economic and social costs? (g) What are the most common minority views which contradict the consensus of available scientific conclusions? 18 June 1997 CHINESE/ENGLISH ONLY UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE Bonn, 28 July - 5 August 1997 Item 5 of the provisional agenda COOPERATION WITH RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Structure and content of the Third Assessment Report by the IPCC Comments by Parties Note by the secretariat The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), at its fourth session, invited Parties to submit comments on the planned structure and content of the Third Assessment Report (TAR) to the secretariat, by 30 May 1997 (FCCC/SBSTA/1996/20, para. 25), for compilation into a miscellaneous document. The secretariat has received four such submissions. In accordance with the procedures for miscellaneous documents, these submissions are attached and reproduced in the language in which they were received and without formal editing. FCCC/SBSTA/1997/MISC.4 GE.97 57-717 99-17 PAPER NO. 1: CHINA (UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION) 1. China's Comments on the Planned Structure and Content from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)' The Third Assessment Report of the IPCC should not simply follow the structure of the previous assessment reports. It should focus on new facts and findings which were not included in the last two reports, particularly on the progress that have been made in clearing up the uncertainties. 2. In assessing climate change and the impacts of human activities upon the climate system, the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC should reflect comprehensively different views and findings. 3. The Third Assessment Report of the IPCC should provide answers to the questions that are of concern to most developing countries, such as what adverse effects the policies and measures adopted by the developed countries may have upon the developing countries, what policies and steps the developed countries should take for the transfer of technology to the developing countries and how to achieve such transfer. 1 This submission has been retyped. The secretariat has made every effort to ensure the correct reproduction of the text as submitted. |