official UNFCCC/SBSTA/2011/2 released

This was posted by the UNFCCC on August 3, 2011.

The parts relevant to REDD, from the meetings in Bonn, Germany this past summer, are posted below:

Agenda item 4

IV. Methodological guidance for activities relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries

1. Proceedings

26. The SBSTA considered this item at its 3rd and 4th meetings. Statements were made by representatives of 13 Parties, including one on behalf of the European Union and its member States.

27. At its 3rd meeting, the SBSTA agreed to consider this item in a contact group, co- chaired by Mr. Peter Graham (Canada) and Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz (Philippines). At the 4th meeting, Mr. Graham reported on the contact group’s consultations. Also at its 4th meeting, the SBSTA considered and adopted conclusions (FCCC/SBSTA/2011/L.14) proposed by the Chair.

2. Conclusions

28. The SBSTA considered views on methodological guidance for activities relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries, taking into account issues identified in appendix II to decision 1/CP.16 and relevant issues.

29. In considering methodological issues referred to in paragraph 28 above, Parties identified a range of issues, including guidance on systems for providing information on how safeguards referred to in appendix I to decision 1/CP.16 are addressed and respected, modalities relating to forest reference emission levels and forest reference levels, and modalities for measuring, reporting and verifying, as referred to in appendix II to decision 1/CP.16.

30. The SBSTA decided to continue its consideration of the methodological guidance referred to in paragraph 28 above, taking into account the elements referred to in annex II to this document, with the aim of completing its work on these matters at its thirty-fifth session and reporting to the Conference of the Parties (COP) at its seventeenth session on progress made, including any recommendations for draft decisions on this matter.

31. The SBSTA invited Parties and accredited observers to submit to the secretariat, by 19 September 2011, their views on the issues identified in paragraphs 28–30 above. It requested the secretariat to compile the submissions from Parties into a miscellaneous document for consideration by the SBSTA at its thirty-fifth session. The SBSTA also requested the secretariat to organize, subject to the availability of supplementary funds, meetings of technical experts on the matters referred to in paragraphs 28 and 29 above, including a meeting before its thirty-fifth session.

32. The SBSTA requested its Chair to continue exploring ways of facilitating the coordination of the activities relating to decisions 2/CP.13, 4/CP.15 and 1/CP.16, and to report back to the SBSTA at its future sessions.

33. The SBSTA took note of the progress report by the secretariat on the implementation of the activities identified in document FCCC/SBSTA/2010/6, paragraph 40, in particular the establishment of an interactive discussion forum on the web platform (http://unfccc.int/methods_science/redd/items/4531.php). The SBSTA encouraged all Parties and their relevant experts, relevant organizations and stakeholders to participate actively in the interactive discussion forum.

34. The SBSTA also encouraged Parties to support the other activities identified in its conclusions of its thirty-second session13 and those identified in decisions 2/CP.13, 4/CP.15 and 1/CP.16. It reminded Parties, relevant organizations and stakeholders to continue sharing information and experiences on these activities via the web platform on the UNFCCC website.