(Agenda item 5)

Conclusions

At its 7th meeting, on 13 June, having considered a proposal by the Chair, the SBSTA adopted the following conclusions:

(a) The SBSTA noted with appreciation the reports by its Chair and the secretariat on the expert workshop on technology information held from 18 to 19 April 2002 in Beijing, China (FCCC/SBSTA/2002/INF.6) and on the expert meeting on methodologies for technology needs assessments held from 23 to 25 April 2002 in Seoul, Republic of Korea (FCCC/SBSTA/2002/INF.7). It expressed its appreciation for the kind assistance provided by the Government of China and the Government of the Republic of Korea in hosting the expert workshop and expert meeting respectively;

(b) The SBSTA took note of the oral reports provided by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the EGTT and adopted its programme of work for the biennium 2002-2003 as contained in annex II to the present report. It requested the EGTT, when implementing its programme of work, to take into account the views submitted by Parties during the session and to provide a brief report on the progress of its work to the SBSTA at its seventeenth session. The SBSTA noted the additional demands placed on the secretariat in supporting the work of the EGTT. It further noted that, subject to the availability of supplementary funding in the current biennium, the secretariat would be able to provide sufficient support to the work of the EGTT;

(c) The SBSTA requested the EGTT to continue to take into account the IPCC Special Report on Technological and Methodological Issues in Technology Transfer and the relevant parts of the IPCC Third Assessment Report and other relevant initiatives in implementing its work programme;

(d) The SBSTA invited the Parties and relevant international organizations in a position to do so, to provide support to the work of the EGTT as proposed in its work programme;

(e) The SBSTA requested the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through the SBI, to provide information to the SBSTA at its eighteenth session on the status of the financial support requested in decision 4/CP.7, paragraph 3;

(f) The SBSTA requested the secretariat, resources permitting:

(i) To initiate an outreach programme with the objective of making the technology information system developed by the secretariat available to the public and making the system more widely known to potential interested users, including the private sector and practitioners;

(ii) To update the information from, and maintain, the existing technology information system;

(iii) To assess the effectiveness of use of the technology information system, including the identification of any information gaps, make recommendations for improvement, and provide a report to the SBSTA at its nineteenth session;

(iv) To cooperate with the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Development Programme, and other relevant organizations and initiatives such as the Climate Technology Initiative, in their planned activities to develop a simplified and user-friendly handbook on methodologies for technology needs assessments and to report findings to the SBSTA at its eighteenth session.