9th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development
16-27 April, New York
PrepCom for the World Summit on Sustainable Development
30 April-2 May, New York                                                            >>Version française: BNT<<

Highlights from Monday, 23 April Photo: Alison Drayton, Chair of the Drafting Group on Energy, with JoAnne DiSano, Director, Division for Sustainable Development Delegates began drafting CSD-9 decisions. They completed a first reading of the draft decision on atmosphere during a morning session and discussed the draft decision on energy in a morning and early afternoon session. They then considered draft decisions on transport in a late afternoon session and on information for decision-making and participation in a late afternoon and evening session.

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Update: Informal climate change consultations held Saturday, 21 April

Click here for a full briefing note of the informal consultations

Photo: Dutch Environment Minister and COP President Jan Pronk

A feeling of inertia and lack of progress permeated the high-level informal consultations on climate change held Friday evening, 20 April and Saturday, 21 April, at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, attended by some 40 environment ministers. The meeting was convened to: express support for the Kyoto Protocol as the framework for international climate change negotiations; provide feedback on UNFCCC COP-6 President Jan Pronk's proposal on ways to advance key political questions to be resolved at COP-6 bis; and chart a way forward, following recent US pronouncements against the Protocol. During the discussions, delegates questioned the US position, noting, in particular, new findings that suggest that implementation costs are lower than initially anticipated, and underlining the fact that the US is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The US is currently engaged in a Cabinet-level policy review, the results of which are to be presented at COP-6 bis in Bonn in July. The policy review process is considering working from a different track to that of the Protocol, particularly regarding developing country commitments and the IPCC's scientific findings on, inter alia, the duration and location of climate change consequences. Some participants are said to have urged for a middle ground instead of confronting the US, and there are also indications that there was a willingness to show greater flexibility on sinks within the clean development mechanism. Regarding Pronk's proposal, developing countries apparently expressed displeasure at not being consulted, and indicated a preference for Pronk's first proposal developed soon after COP-6. They urged Pronk to convene a meeting to discuss adaptation and the proposal prior to COP-6 bis. Further consultations are expected to take place in Stockholm, Sweden, during the diplomatic conference for the signing of the POPs Convention in May 2001.

Drafting Group on Energy

Members of the G-77/China Iran speaking on behalf the G-77/China with the US, opposed the Chair's compromise text on ensuring a reliable market for energy suppliers, arguing it did not reflect an appropriate balance between energy supply and demand.

Sweden, for the EU underlined its preference to refer to general principles, rather than to non-prescriptive policy options. The EU distributed revised text on the challenges of nuclear energy, and said they had not decided their position on whether to retain the text on government recommendations.

On combining more sustainable energy practices, SAUDI ARABIA, the RUSSIAN FEDERATION and POLAND urged retaining specific reference to the exclusion of nuclear technologies.

John Ashe, Antigua and Barbuda, consults with members of the G-77 / China.

Chair Alison Drayton (Guyana) with members of the Secretariat, prepared for the first reading of the draft elements of a decision on energy and sustainable development.

Drafting Group on Transport and Atmosphere

Drafting Group Chair David Stuart (Australia)

On international cooperation, Iran speaking on behalf of the G-77/CHINA suggested adding reference to the improvement of mass transit, capacity building and technology transfer.

Japan said proposed deleting text on equity and historical share regarding atmospheric issues, and opposed reference to nuclear waste transport.

Side Event: Energy Planning for Sustainable Development
Organized by International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE)

Panelists: Gunnar Boye Olesen (far left), Helen Connar (2nd right) and Emilio La Rovere (far right), INFORSE.

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