CGE Member

Michelle Campbell

An Overview – Annex I and Non-Annex I Guidelines for the Preparation of National Communications

CGE Workshop to exchange views on possible elements to be considered in a future

revision of the UNFCCC Guidelines for the preparation of National Communications

from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention

St. Mary, Antigua and Barbuda, March 21 2011

• National Circumstances

• GHG Inventories

• Measures to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change

• Measures to mitigate climate change

• Other information

• Constraints and gaps, and related financial, technical and capacity needs

Non-Annex I Guidelines

WHAT IS CURRENTLY REQUIRED BY NON-ANNEX I PARTIES

Annex I Guidelines

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR NC5

I. Executive Summary

II. National Circumstances relevant to GHG emissions and removals

III. GHG Inventory information

IV. Policies and Measures (PAMs)

V. Projections and the total effect of PAMs

VI. Vulnerability assessment, impacts and adaptation measures

VII. Financial Resources and transfer of technology

VIII.Research and Systematic Observation

IX. Education, Training and Public Awareness

Annex I Guidelines

II. NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Required (shall):• Description of national circumstances, how they affect GHG emissions and

removals, and how changes affect GHGs over time

Expected (should):• Information on how national circumstances are relevant to factors affecting

GHGs, including disaggregated indicators• Two general sets of information could be given:

• Generic information (gov‘t structure, population, geography, climate, economic profiles etc.)

• Sector specific information with examples of key drivers for emission trends, e.g. Energy, transport, industry, waste, building etc.

Annex I Guidelines

III. GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY

Required:• Summary information – over the time period from 1990 to latest available

inventory year• Complete inventory set is not required, but at minimum, Parties must report

the summary tables (incl. CO2eq and emissions trend tables) in the CRF

Expected:• Descriptive summary and diagrams should also be included• Any differences with annual inventory should be explained

KP Parties: • National systems, National registry, Article 10

Annex I Guidelines

IV. POLICIES AND MEASURES

Required:• Information on adopted PAMs and estimates of their effects on GHGs

• Textual description, and summary tables for PAMs by sector outlining:

• Name, description, objective, GHG affected, type of instrument, status,

implementing entity and estimate of mitigation impact for particular years (not a

period), e.g. 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020

• Information on how PAMs are modifying longer-term emission and removal trends

KP Parties:• Legislative arrangements pursuant to KP targets; cooperation with other Parties to

achieve targets, steps taken to promote or implement any decisions by ICAO or

IMO, how it strives to implement PAMs to minimize adverse effects

Annex I Guidelines

IV. POLICIES AND MEASURES cont’d

Expected or encouraged:• Policy making process – description of overall policy context, national targets,

strategies for SD, decision making process/bodies, system for monitoring and

evaluating PAMs over time (including institutional arrangements)

• Priority – should be given to PAMs that have the most significant impact on GHGs

and removals

• Status – PAMs in planning stage or adopted can be outlined, but are to be

distinguished from those implemented

• Art.4.2(e)(ii) – identify and update PAMs that encourage activities that lead to

greater levels of GHGs than would otherwise occur

• Individual PAMs – quantitiative estimates of effects

• Costs – info on costs, non-GHG benefits, and how certain PAMS interact with others

Annex I Guidelines

V. PROJECTIONS

Required:• Scenario – with measures – encompassing currently implemented and

adopted PAMs; starting point is last year of the inventory; text and diagram• To be presented on a sectoral basis (same sectors as PAMs section), and

gas-by-gas (CO2, CH4, N2O, PFCs, HFCs and SF6)

• Total effect – estimated and expected effect of implemented and adopted PAMs; in terms of GHGs avoided or sequestered by gas in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020

KP Parties:• Information on how use of the KP mechanisms is supplemental to

domestic action

Annex I Guidelines

V. PROJECTIONS cont’d

Expected or encouraged:• Additional scenarios – with additional measures (includes planned PAMs);

without measures (excludes all PAMs implemented, adopted or planned after 1995 (or earlier))

• Sensitivity analysis – with a goal to limit the number of scenarios • Time horizons – ex-poste (e.g. 1995, 2000, 2005) and ex-ante (2010,

2015, 2020, and if desired up to 2030)• Methodology – description of model, key assumptions, sensitivity of

projections to key assumptions; for each sector

Annex I Guidelines

VI. VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION MEASURES

Required:• Information on expected impacts of climate change and outline of actions

taken

Expected or encouraged:• Focus reporting on specific results of scientific climate impact research• Focus reporting on vulnerability assessments on certain sectors• Use IPCC Technical GLs for Assessing CC Impacts and Adaptation• Use UNEP Handbook on Methods for CCImpacts Assessment and

Adaptation Strategies• Provide summary of information in a table

Annex I Guidelines

VII. FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY

Annex II Requirements:• Complete tables on financial contributions, including:

• New and additional resources provided, incl GEF

• Assistance to particularly vulnerable countries

• Multilateral funding

• Bilateral and regional contributions (mitigation and adaptation)

• Information on technology transfer, distinguishing public and private

• Activities related to TT in both textual and tabular format:

• Projects and programmes

• Relating to access and capacity building

Other:• Decision 5/CP.7; Decision 1/CP.10; KP implementation of Articles 10 & 11

Annex I Guidelines

VIII. RESEARCH AND SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATION

Required:• Information on actions relating to RSO, including domestic and

international, and summary information on GCOS (following specified guidelines)

Expected or encouraged:• General policy on and funding of RSO, and opportunities and barriers for

data exchange• Information on research, including highlights, innovations and significant

efforts on climate process, modelling, impacts, R&D etc. • Summary information on current plans, programmes and support for SO

Annex I Guidelines

IX. EDUCTION, TRAINING AND PUBLIC AWARENESS

Required:• Information on actions relating to ETP

Expected:• Details such as public information and education materials, resource or

information centres, training programmes, and participation in international activities

Others:• Decision 11/CP.8 – encouraging Parties to undertake activities re:

international cooperation, education, training, PA, public participation etc.• KP Articles 10e, f – information on development and implementation of

education and training programmes

COMPARISION – AI and NAI Guidelines

What are the differences and similarities?

Element AI NAINational Circumstances

-description; generic and sector specific information-overview of how they affect GHGs and how changes affect GHGs over time

-description; generic information (geography, population, economy, education etc.)

GHG Inventory -summary information of all gases, for latest year available; over a time period -CO2eq and emission trend tables (min) -descriptive summary and diagrams-KP: national systems and registry

-estimates for a particular year-using1996 IPCC GLs-gas by gas estimates for CO2, CH4, and N2O (others encouraged); CO2eq and methodologies; tables

Mitigation -PAMs (detailed description and estimates of effects by sector and gas; reporting structure, tables)-Projections (scenarios, sectoral, all 6 gases, set timing, assessment of aggregated effect, methodologies, tables)

-general description of steps envisaged-mitigation assessment-information on programmes and measures implemented or planned, incl. key sectors

COMPARISION – AI and NAI Guidelines

The differences and similarities cont’d Element AI NAIVulnerability, impacts, adaptation

-expected impacts and actions-programmes and cooperation; tables

-steps to formulate, implement and update adaptation programmes-V&A assessment-approaches, methodologies and tools; key areas; evaluation

Financial Resources and transfer of technology

-Tables on financial contributions (new and additional, particularly vulnerable, multilateral, bilateral and regional)-Activities re TT; text and tables

-information on TT-related activities; -description of constraints and gaps re financial, technical, capacity-financial resources (NC & activities)-list of proposed projects

RSO -Domestic and international actions and GCOS-research highlights-status of national programmes and support

-information on participation in and contribution to RSO activities-research (mitigation, adaptation)

Education, training, public awareness

-information on actions-by specified categories

-information on activities

Comparison of Non-Annex I and Annex I Guidelines

Overall Comments

• There are some common reporting elements for all Parties

• The main differences relate to:• Level of mandatori-ness• Level of detail • Reporting formats