The UN Climate Change Convention Bali, Indonesia, launched “a new negotiation process, designed to tackle climate change,” with the aim of reaching consensus on a successor climate change agreement by the end of 2009.

The timetables set forth in the Bali Action Plan and in related documents call for two major actions in the first quarter of 2008: (1) Parties may provide comments on the work program of the Bali Action Plan by February 22 and (2) “Parties and relevant organizations” may submit comments to support a comprehensive review of the Kyoto Protocol by March 7.

First, the Bali Action Plan invites Parties to the UNFCCC to submit comments on aspects of the Roadmap, including on the “shared vision for long-term cooperative action;” measurable, reportable and verifiable nationally appropriate mitigation commitments; incentives for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation; adaptation mechanisms and risk management; technology development and transfer; and investment and other financing mechanisms. The Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention will consider the comments at its first meeting in the early spring.

Second, Article 9 of the Kyoto Protocol requires that the Parties periodically review the Protocol with regards to the “best available scientific information and assessments on climate change and its impacts, as well as relevant technical, social and economic information.” Parties and “relevant organizations” are therefore invited to provide comments on five specific items.

This affords non-Parties, such as accredited international organizations, business associations and civil society groups, with a significant opportunity to frame their positions and be heard from the outset of the negotiations. Business and environmental groups may submit their views on important issues and processes such as the “scope, effectiveness and functioning” of the Clean Development Mechanism and emissions trading programs and the potential adverse effects on international trade in clean technology.

The five issues for comment during the Kyoto Protocol review are:

(a) Extending the share of proceeds to assist in meeting the costs of adaptation to joint implementation and emissions trading;

(b) Relevant procedural elements for inscribing commitments for Annex I Parties in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol;

(c) Privileges and immunities for individuals serving on constituted bodies established under the Kyoto Protocol;

(d) The scope, effectiveness and functioning of the flexibility mechanisms, including ways and means to enhance an equitable regional distribution of clean development mechanism projects;

(e) The minimization of adverse effects, including the adverse effects of climate change, effects on international trade, and social, environmental and economic impacts on other Parties, especially developing country Parties and in particular those identified in Article 4, paragraphs 8 and 9, of the Convention, taking into account Article 3 of the Convention.

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