[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 22, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43639-43640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20791]



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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 2241]


Notice of Availability of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change (IPCC) Draft Synthesis Report and Public Comment Period

AGENCY: Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

SUMMARY: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has 
prepared a draft report titled: ``The IPCC Assessment of Knowledge 
Relevant to the Interpretation of Article 2 of the UN Framework 
Convention on Climate Change: A Synthesis Report 1995'' based on 
material prepared and reviewed by each of its working groups (on 
science, impacts and response strategies, and economics and 
crosscutting issues). This draft 38-page report (plus tables and 
figures), and its 8-page Summary for Policymakers, needs to be peer-
reviewed by experts and governments. The IPCC Secretariat requires 
comments on this report to effect appropriate revisions prior to the 
final acceptance of the synthesis report and review and line-by-line 
adoption of the Summary for Policymakers at a plenary session of the 
IPCC in December 1995 in Rome. The U.S. Subcommittee on Global Change 
Research (SGCR) will be responsible for coordinating the preparations 
of the comments of the United States Government. Through this notice, 
we are announcing the availability of the draft report, and requesting 
comments on the report by noon, September 6, 1995 from experts and 
interested groups and individuals. These comments will be reviewed, 
combined and incorporated as appropriate, in the process of preparing 
official U.S. Government comments to the IPCC.

DATES: Written comments (hard copy and if possible on a 3.5 inch 
diskette in either Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format) on the draft 
Synthesis Report should be received on or before noon, 

[[Page 43640]]
September 6, 1995. The deadline cannot be extended because the IPCC has 
a strict timetable for the review process.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted by mail to: IPCC Synthesis 
Report Comments, Office of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, 300 
D Street SW, Suite 840, Washington, DC 20024 or by E-mail in ASCII 
format on Internet to ``[email protected]''. Copies of the draft 
Synthesis Report may be obtained by (1) telephone request to Ms. Sandra 
Vaughn-Cooke at (202) 651-8250; (2) sending an E-mail to 
``[email protected]''; (3) faxing a request to (202) 554-6715 or (4) 
sending a letter directed to Ms. Vaughn-Cooke at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Dr. Michael MacCracken, Office of the 
U.S. Global Change Research Program at (202) 651-8250, or Mr. Daniel A. 
Reifsnyder, Director, Office of Global Change, U.S. Department of State 
at (202) 647-4069.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was jointly 
established by the United Nations Environment Program and the World 
Meteorological Organization to conduct periodic assessments of the 
state of knowledge concerning climate change. Working Group I addresses 
the state of the science; Working Group II addresses vulnerability to 
and impacts of climate change, as well as mitigation and adaptation 
response options; and Working Group III addresses economics and other 
cross-cutting issues. Each working group is charged with issuing 
periodic assessments. The first assessment report was issued in 1990, a 
second assessment is anticipated for release in December 1995.
    In addition to the three Working Group reports and their Summaries 
for Policymakers, the IPCC has prepared a report titled: ``The IPCC 
Assessment of Knowledge Relevant to the Interpretation of Article 12 of 
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: A Synthesis Report 
1995.'' The Synthesis Report is accompanied by a Summary for 
Policymakers which will be approved on a line-by-line basis in 
December. The Synthesis Report is based on the contribution of all 
three working groups and their draft summaries for policymakers--which 
are now being reviewed and will be approved on a line-by-line basis by 
IPCC member governments. The Working Group I report is to be approved 
in Madrid in November 1995; the Working Group II report is to be 
approved in Montreal in October 1995, and Working Group III has 
approved part of its report (in Geneva in July) and will conclude its 
approval process in Montreal in October 1995.

Public Input Process

    The member countries of the IPCC have established a timetable that 
includes a brief period for comments from governments so that the IPCC 
can meet its timetable for a timely completion of the Second Assessment 
Report--including this Article 2 synthesis document. The Subcommittee 
on Global Change Research is responsible for coordinating the 
preparation of the U.S. response. Through this notice, the U.S. 
Government is seeking the views of experts and interested groups and 
individuals to help in the formulation of its response. Comments that 
are provided will be reviewed, integrated, and used, as appropriate, in 
the preparation of the official U.S. comments.
    According to the IPCC proposed process, to the extent that there 
are modifications to these underlying reports, the Article 2 synthesis 
document will be modified to maintain consistency among all the 
reports. The IPCC has requested that all comments be forwarded to the 
Secretariat by September 12, 1995. In order to allow time for U.S. 
Government review, all reviewers are requested to submit their comments 
no later than noon, September 6, 1995.
    An information sheet providing specific requests for formatting 
submissions will be provided with each mailing of the synthesis report. 
In this review process, the emphasis should be on providing detailed 
recommendations on specific areas in which the reviewer has expertise. 
To be most useful, comments should be specific in suggesting wording 
changes to the text of a particular paragraph or section, and where 
appropriate offer supporting information and peer reviewed references 
supporting the proposed changes. Comments on the overall tone and the 
scientific validity of the Report, and those expressing agreement or 
disagreement with specific major points in the Executive Summary are 
also solicited.

    Dated: August 17, 1995.
Rafe Pomerance,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-20791 Filed 8-21-95; 8:45 am]
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