ANNEX I EMISSION REDUCTIONS (AWG-KP): Co-Chair Lefevere reported on bilateral consultations with parties on the scale of Annex I parties’ aggregate and individual emission reductions, the base year and length and number of commitment periods. He reported lack of consensus on any of these issues. On further steps, he said some parties have proposed: further technical analysis by the Secretariat; submission of more information by Annex I parties on their expectations and intentions regarding LULUCF and the carryover of AAUs; and technical workshops in August, focusing, for example, on numbers and: the flexibility mechanisms; carryover of AAUs; and LULUCF rules.
Parties then discussed the tables presented by the Secretariat on Tuesday, showing the translation of pledges into QELROs. SWITZERLAND cautioned against distributing the tables too widely. Together with many parties, he suggested expressing the values contained in the tables in megatonnes instead of percentages. SOUTH AFRICA, with the Gambia, for the AFRICAN GROUP, the FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, NORWAY and others supported making the tables widely available. NORWAY added that it should be made clear that the numbers are illustrative and provisional and ICELAND cautioned against attaching too much importance to the numbers. The RUSSIAN FEDERATION questioned the usefulness of the tables, noting that there is no information on how the calculations have been made. With JAPAN, he opposed wider distribution of the tables. SWITZERLAND, stressing his support for full transparency, proposed that all materials, including parties’ presentations, should be published by the Secretariat in a “dedicated space” on their website.
The FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA asked about the data sources used. ZAMBIA suggested that the tables should indicate those parties that are exceeding or have exceeded their first commitment period targets. NEW ZEALAND highlighted that fulfillment of commitments goes beyond absolute emissions but also includes use of LULUCF and the flexibility mechanisms. JAPAN and AUSTRALIA supported discussing the actions of all parties, not just of Annex B parties. BOLIVIA made a presentation showing: Annex B parties’ individual reduction pledges; Annex B parties’ aggregate reductions; and Annex B parties’ aggregate reductions taking into account surplus AAUs and LULUCF credits.
In response to the various questions and comments, the Secretariat explained that the tables use data provided in document FCCC/KP/AWG/2010/INF.1 (compilation of pledges and related assumptions) and the methodology in document FCCC/TP/2010/2 (transformation of pledges into QELROs). Regarding expressing figures in tonnes rather than percentages, he explained that this would involve making assumptions regarding the rules for the next commitment period, such as the base year. He said it could be done using the rules applicable in the first commitment period.
Parties then discussed next steps. Most parties supported organizing technical workshops in the August session. The EU and others, opposed by JAPAN and the RUSSIAN FEDERATION, supported updating the technical papers to reflect progress.
