Consultative Group of Experts OTHER INFORMATION CONSIDERED RELEVANT TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CONVENTION Jack Fitzgerald Workshop on the Use of the Guidelines for the Preparation of National Communications from non-Annex I Parties Port Louis, Mauritius 8-11 April 2003

Consultative Group of Experts UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE Article 12, paragraph 1, addresses the communication of information to the Conference of the Parties, including “Any other information that the Party considers relevant to the achievement of the objective of the Convention and suitable for inclusion in its communication,....” Article 4, paragraph 1, states that “All Parties, taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities and their specific national and regional development priorities, objectives and circumstances, shall,” inter alia, “Take climate change considerations into account, to the extent feasible, in their relevant social, economic and environmental policies and actions.…”

Consultative Group of Experts COUNTRIES’ EXPERIENCES REGARDING INFORMATION AND NETWORKING National Communications from Parties not Included in Annex I to the Convention: Report of the CGE to the Subsidiary Bodies (FCCC/SBI/2001/15) “Many non-Annex I Parties perceive issues of information and networking as being central to their implementation of the UNFCCC.…” “Information and networking... generally refers to several interrelated activities that assist a Party in the preparation of its... national communication.” “The use of information systems forms an important part of GHG inventories, vulnerability and adaptation assessment and GHG abatement analysis.” “Networking has a more encompassing function and refers to the national, subregional, regional and interregional as well as global processes which provide easy access to information, advice and guidance in the process of the preparation of national communications.” “The exchange of information relating to national GHG inventories, vulnerability and adaptation assessments and GHG abatement analysis amongst the countries within a region and between regions is at present very weak.”

Consultative Group of Experts COUNTRIES’ EXPERIENCES REGARDING INFORMATION AND NETWORKING (2) “..., the development of information networks and efficient databases would enable countries to share experiences and expertise/skills, and to exchange information and data, thereby improving the national GHG inventories and vulnerability and adaptation assessments and GHG abatement analysis.” National Communications from Parties not Included in Annex I to the Convention: Report of the CGE to the Subsidiary Bodies (FCCC/SBI/2002/15) “..., many Parties found that... exchange of information and networking were generally weak due to limited human and financial resources, limited data and information, and underdeveloped systems for collecting, processing and maintaining data and information.” “The lack of hardware, software, and expertise for establishing and maintaining networking facilities for the exchange of information... presented major constraints in this regard.”

Consultative Group of Experts REVISED GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM NON-ANNEX I PARTIES Section V, paragraph 41, places reporting on information and networking within the context of sustainable development. “With a view to facilitating the formulation and implementation of sustainable development programmes, non- Annex I Parties are encouraged, as appropriate, to provide information on any steps they have taken to integrate climate change considerations into relevant social, economic and environmental policies and actions in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 1(f), of the Convention.” Section V, paragraph 48, encourages the provision of information but is not prescriptive regarding its content. “Non-Annex I Parties are encouraged to provide information on their efforts to promote information sharing among and within countries and regions. Information could cover, as appropriate, participation in and contribution to networks, and access to, and use of, information technologies for information exchange.”

Consultative Group of Experts POTENTIALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION Non-Annex I Parties might find this to be an opportunity for providing information that could be helpful in facilitating the development of stronger information and networking support programmes, e.g.,: The nature and extent of participation by their experts in regional and international climate change related processes, as well as barriers to this participation; The existence and identity in their country of centers/organizations/institutions of technical and scientific expertise related to climate change; The extent to which these “sources” of expertise are able to effectively and efficiently access the internet, as well as barriers to this access; and, Examples of how the internet may already be being used in your country to achieve information exchange and effective collaboration on climate change related matters such as inventory development and technology transfer.