CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES
Fourth session
Buenos Aires, 2-13 November 1998

        The Conference of the Parties,

        Recalling decision 1/CP.3 on the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular its paragraph 5(a),

        Noting the conclusions on land-use, land-use change and forestry adopted by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) at its eighth session,

        Noting also with appreciation the decision of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to prepare a special report on land-use, land-use change and forestry,

        Having considered the report prepared by the secretariat on a SBSTA workshop on data availability based on definitions used by Parties and international organizations in relation to Article 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol, which was held coincident with an IPCC expert meeting from 24 to 25 September 1998, and the submissions by Parties on land-use, land-use change and forestry,

        1. Decides to confirm the understanding expressed in the conclusions of the SBSTA at its eighth session that the meaning of Article 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol is as follows: the adjustment to a Party's assigned amount shall be equal to verifiable changes in carbon stocks during the period 2008 to 2012 resulting from direct human-induced activities of afforestation, reforestation and deforestation since 1 January 1990. Where the result of this calculation is a net sink, this value shall be added to the Party's assigned amount. Where the result of this calculation is a net emission, this value shall be subtracted from the Party's assigned amount;

        2. Decides to endorse the other relevant conclusions on land-use, land-use change and forestry made by the SBSTA at its eighth session;

        3. Decides to recommend, at its first session following the completion of the IPCC special report and its consideration by the SBSTA, a draft decision, for adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its first session, on definitions related to activities under Article 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol;

        4. Decides to recommend, at its first session following the completion of the IPCC special report and its consideration by the SBSTA, a draft decision, for adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its first session, on modalities, rules and guidelines as to how, and which, additional human-induced activities related to changes in greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks in the agricultural soils and the land-use change and forestry categories might be included under Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol;

        5. Further decides to recommend, at the first session practicable following the completion of the IPCC special report and its consideration by the SBSTA, a draft decision, for adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its first session, on guidelines for necessary supplementary information with respect to annual greenhouse gas inventories under the provisions of Article 7.1 and 7.4 of the Kyoto Protocol for reporting required in connection with Article 3.3 and 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol;

        6. Requests the SBSTA to consider, at its tenth session, the requirements necessary to fulfil the provisions of the first sentence of Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol, and invites Parties to provide submissions on such requirements to the secretariat by 1 March 1999;

        7. Affirms the importance of broad participation by Parties, particularly developing country Parties, in the work of the SBSTA on land-use, land-use change and forestry;

        8. Requests the secretariat to compile, for consideration by the SBSTA at its tenth session, a list of policy and procedural issues associated with Article 3.3 and 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol, based on existing submissions by Parties and any further submissions by Parties, and invites Parties to provide submissions on these issues to the secretariat by 1 March 1999;

        9. Also requests the SBSTA, at its tenth session, to give further consideration to planning its work on land-use, land-use change and forestry;

        10. Invites the IPCC to continue to provide the SBSTA with progress reports on its activities related to land-use, land-use change and forestry.