[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 91 (Monday, May 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25988-25989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12444]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 2529]


Preparation of Second U.S. Climate Action Report

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

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: In June 1992, the United States signed the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Pursuant to the 
reporting requirements under Articles 4.2 and 12 of the Convention and 
to proposed format guidelines later adopted by the UNFCCC Conference of 
the Parties (COP) at its first session, the United States submitted the 
U.S. Climate Action Report (USCAR) to the UNFCCC Secretariat. At its 
second session, the COP to the UNFCCC agreed that the second national 
communications from developed country Parties would be due on April 15, 
1997.
    However, because the Department of State wants to provide a public 
opportunity to comment on a draft text of the Second USCAR, we will not 
make our submission in the desired time frame. We have already notified 
the UNFCCC Secretariat that we will be tardy in submitting the final 
document which we anticipate doing at the July meeting of the UNFCCC 
Subsidiary Bodies.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In accordance with the UNFCCC's reporting requirements as specified 
in Articles 4.2 and 12, and following reporting guidelines developed 
(and adopted by the UNFCCC COP at its first session), the United States 
prepared the U.S. Climate Action Report (USCAR) and submitted it to the 
UNFCCC Secretariat in October 1994.
    The USCAR provided a description of the U.S. program designed to 
reduce emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000. The initial USCAR 
incorporated much of the information contained in the first Climate 
Change Action Plan announced by President Clinton and Vice President 
Gore on October 19, 1993.
    At the Second COP, the Parties requested developed country Parties 
to the Convention to submit to the UNFCCC Secretariat, in accordance 
with Articles 12.1 and 12.2 of the Convention, a second national 
communication by April 15, 1997. Parties that submitted first reports 
in 1996 are to provide an update by the 1997 deadline and Parties with 
economies in transition are to provide their second communication by 
April 15, 1998. Developing country Parties have different guidelines 
and due dates for their first communications.
    The Parties to the UNFCCC also adopted revisions to the guidelines 
for the reports at their second session. Among other modifications, the 
revised guidelines encourage Parties to provide information on actions 
implemented by regional and local governments or the private sector. At 
its 12th Plenary meeting in September 1996, the Intergovernmental Panel 
on climate Change (IPCC) approved additional guidance with respect to 
the methodologies to inventory greenhouse gas emissions. These revised 
methodologies have been approved by the UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for 
Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) for use in preparing 
national communications, recognizing that the delay in their adoption 
could cause difficulty for Party countries in using them in plan 
preparation. We have followed both sets of guidelines, to the extent 
possible, in the preparation of the second USCAR.

The Second USCAR

    The draft version of the second USCAR reviews key elements 
contained in the initial climate Change Action Plan including: an 
update on key baseline assumptions; a review and assessment of 
activities to date under the almost 50 actions listed in the plan; and 
update of the list of actions reflecting changes initiated by 
responsible agencies since the plan was first proposed in 1993. The 
document also reflects information submitted to the Council on 
Environmental Quality in response to a request for comments on the 
original Climate Change Action Plan which was published in the Federal 
Register on August 24, 1995, (60 FR 44022) and information presented at 
a subsequent public hearing held on September 22, 1995.
    In keeping with international guidelines, the draft second USCAR 
provides an inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks, 
estimated effects of mitigation measures and policies on future 
emissions levels, and describes U.S. involvement in international 
programs including associated contributions and funding efforts.
    In addition, the text includes a discussion of U.S. national 
circumstances which affect U.S. vulnerability and responses to climate 
change. Information on the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the 
largest climate change research program in the world, and on adaptation 
programs is also presented.

Table of Contents of the Second USCAR

I. Introduction
II. National Circumstances
III. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
IV. Impacts and Adaptation

[[Page 25989]]

V. Research
VI. Education, Training, and Outreach
VII. Policies and Measures to Mitigate Climate Change
VIII. International Activities

Public Input Process

    The Department of State published a Federal Register notice 
(citation) in December 1996 to solicit contributions and comments on 
all aspects of the first USCAR and in particular, on issues related to 
regional, local, and private sector actions to address climate change. 
Unfortunately, we received no responses.
    In spite of the lack of response, we remain committed to providing 
the public with an opportunity to review the second draft and provide 
comments on the text. Because of time constraints, the draft is 
somewhat rough in terms of formatting and graphics, and is still under 
interagency review. We anticipate that on the basis of further input, 
some of the projections of the effects of measures--and of the 
aggregate effect of the U.S. program--might change. We also anticipate 
that on the basis of further input, some of the projections of the 
effects of measures--and of the aggregate effect of the U.S. program--
might change. We also anticipate the inclusion of additional material, 
particularly in the sections on ``The Future'' pending the completion 
of internal Administration analysis.
    We invite input on all aspects of the document including its 
substance, format, and graphics. Comments received in response to this 
Federal Register notice will be considered in the revisions to the 
draft of the second national communication. Interested parties may 
request individual chapter(s) or the entire text.

DATES: Written comments on the draft text of the second USCAR should be 
received on or before noon, May 23, 1997. The deadline cannot be 
extended because of an extremely tight timetable for the report's 
preparation in anticipation of the July submission date.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to: Mr. Daniel Reifsnyder, OES/
EGC, Room 4330, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-7818. 
Comments may also be faxed to Mr. Reifsnyder at (202) 647-0191. Copies 
of the draft Second National Communication may be obtained from Mr. 
Reifsnyder's office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel A. Reifsnyder, Director, 
Office of Global Change, U.S. Department of State at (202) 647-4069.

    Dated: May 2, 1997.
Rafe Pomerance,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment and Development, Bureau of 
Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-12444 Filed 5-8-97; 10:46 am]
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