Legal Basis

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Article 4.1 (i) and Article 6

Decree of July 7, 1999, which creates the Interministerial Commission on Global Climate Change           

Purpose

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change establishes in its Article 4, first paragraph, that all Parties, taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities and their specific national and regional development priorities, objectives and circumstances, should take different actions listed in paragraphs (a) through (j).

The maintenance of a greenhouse effect information system is a commitment of all Parties to the Convention, being thus also a commitment of Brazil as a Party that has ratified the Convention. Such a commitment is described in Article 4, first paragraph, subparagraph (i), which expresses that the Parties shall promote and cooperate in education, training and public awareness related to climate change and encourage the widest participation in this process, including that of non-governmental organizations, and also in Article 6, which expresses that in the implementation of their commitments under Article 4, first paragraph, subparagraph (i), the Parties shall promote and facilitate at the national and, as appropriate, subregional and regional levels, and in accordance with national laws and regulations, and within their respective capacities: i) the development and implementation of educational and public awareness programs on climate change and its effects; ii) public access to information on climate change and its effects; iii) public participation in addressing climate change and its effects and developing adequate responses; and iv) training of scientific, technical and managerial personnel.

The purpose of including this action in the Program is thus to enhance and maintain existing information systems on the greenhouse effect and governmental actions aimed at addressing such an issue, as well as the organization of education, awareness raising and information campaigns on the issue.          

Implementation of actions

This action aims at building the capacity of the Ministry of Science and Technology to participate in the negotiations that will take place in 2000 for the regulation of mechanisms under the Convention, by means of the preparation of studies and contracting consultants for specific issues regarding the methodological and institutional aspects of the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism.