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Version française: BNTLate-breaking news: Tuesday 10 NovUpdates brought to you by the ENB team members throughout the day:
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The US has tabled a series of proposed amendments to a
G-77/China paper on flexible mechanisms. Under the headings referring to each of the
mechanisms in the Protocol and to Article 4 on joint fulfillment of commitments the US has
inserted a sentence: "Application to situation of voluntary commitments by non Annex
I countries." Phillip Gwage, Ugandan Ministry of Land, Water and Environment,
intervenes on behalf of the G-77/China in the SBSTA morning session to support the
establishment of a technology transfer mechanism at COP-4 |
 Richard Bradley, US Department of Energy, opposed establishing a
mechanism at COP-4 and proposed discussing the issue at future meetings |
SBI FINAL SESSION: Parties’ exchanges during a debate on a report from a contact group on Implementation of UNFCCC Articles 4.8 and 4.9 (decision 3/CP.2 and Articles 2.3 and 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol)
At the final session of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at COP-4 on adverse impacts from climate change responses, the US, supported by the EU, reported that no consensus had been reached on a text prepared by the Co-Chairs of a Contact Group dealing with the issue. The EU called for further consultation and added that a decision on a financial mechanism should be reflected in the report to the COP Plenary. Saudi Arabia expressed disappointment and reserved the right to open all the draft decisions. Chair Kante appealed to Parties to draw back from "taking hostages".
The Chair of the contact group, Bo Kjellén, explained that the co-chairs’ report was subject to further consultation. He added that discussions were linked to many different issues in parallel negotiations in other groups. Agreement would be linked to what could be achieved in other negotiations. Chair Kante said the Contact Group’s text would be transmitted to the COP Plenary in square brackets.
Real Audio interventions from the final SBI session by: A small drafting group met to hammer out
final text before the final evening negotiating sessions |
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 Left: Delegates from EU member countries huddle outside the meeting room
during the SBI evening session |
Right: SBI Chair Bakary Kante drinks Oolong tea |
Negotiations continued into the early morning hours… |  |
Exchanges on the negotiated text from the Contact Group on national communications from non-Annex I Parties
The Netherlands, for the EU, sought to introduce a new paragraph to a negotiated text introduced by the Co-Chairs’ of a Contact Group on national communications from non-Annex I Parties. The G-77/China responded by placing the entire draft decision in brackets. The Chair told the EU that the SBI had agreed that no new text could be added. Parties could add only brackets. The EU explained that his additional text was related to an agenda item which would come up under a later agenda item. The EU opted to bracket a related paragraph (No.6). The Chair consulted with the EU and the G-77/China but failed to get agreement. Kante described the EU’s approach as unacceptable and said the delegation was placing the work of the Contact Group in jeopardy. The entire text was sent to the COP Plenary in brackets.
Real Audio interventions from:
Left: Shukong Zhong, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, China
 Bernaditas Castro Muller, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines |
 Mohamel Ould El Ghaouth, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et de la
Coopération, Mauritania |
Celebrated Argentinian commentator Miguel Grinberg talks to the ENB
Award winning Argentine columnist and environmental commentator, Miguel
Grinberg, puts the climate change negotiations in perspective in an interview with Peter
Doran. Grinberg has recently described some official attempts to address sustainable
development issues at the official level as "simulated negotiation." He is also
concerned about the captivation of consumers in the southern hemisphere by 
consumer models and lifestyle models
disseminated by the United States, Europe and Japan.
Right: Peter Doran, ENB, talks to Miguel Grinberg, UNEP Global 500 Prize winner.
US delegation Press Briefing In an update on the negotiations, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, Stuart E. Eizenstat, spoke and fielded questions from the media.
Left: Undersecretary of State
Stuart Eisenstat
RealAudio recordings from the briefing:
Eizenstat responds to a question about when the US can be expected to sign the Kyoto Protocol
European Union Commissioner Press Briefing In this press briefing, European Union Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard and President of the Council Martin Bartenstein discussed the lead they say the European Union has taken to combat climate change, as well as the outcomes they believe should come from COP4. This included an acknowledgement by Bjerregaard of differences between the US and the EU on some issues, and also a note that the EU would pay closer attention to the G77/China in future. RealAudio recordings from the briefing:
 Ritt Bjerregaard, European Commissioner |
 Martin Bartenstein, President of the Council |
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