[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 145 (Thursday, July 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38078-38079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18230]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6713]


Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs; Preparation of Fifth U.S. Climate Action Report

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States is a Party to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention sets forth 
requirements for UNFCCC Parties to provide a national communication 
that lists the steps they are taking to implement the Convention. In 
particular, Parties are to provide: An inventory of anthropogenic 
emissions by sources and removal by sinks of all greenhouse gases not 
controlled by the Montreal Protocol; a detailed description of the 
policies and measures adopted to implement their commitments under the 
Convention; and estimates of the effects those policies and measures 
will have on emissions and sinks. Subsequent guidelines further 
elaborate the information that Parties are to submit periodically. The 
United States submitted the first U.S. Climate Action Report (USCAR) to 
the UNFCCC Secretariat in 1994, the second in 1997, the third in 2002, 
and the fourth in 2007. The U.S. Government is currently preparing its 
fifth national communication, which is due to the UNFCCC secretariat on 
January 1, 2010. The purpose of this announcement is to notify 
interested members of the public of this process and to solicit 
contributions and input on the issues covered in the national 
communication for the purpose of preparing the report. The State 
Department intends to make available for public review a draft national 
communication in fall of 2009.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before noon, thirty 
(30) days from the date of publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: To expedite their receipt, comments should be submitted via 
e-mail to: [email protected]. Comments may also be submitted in hard copy 
to, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Global Change (Room 
2480), 2201 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maurice N. LeFranc, Jr., U.S. 
Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental 
and Scientific Affairs, Office of Global Change at (202) 647-6738.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The Fifth United States Climate Action Report (CAR5)

    Articles 4.2 and 12 of the UNFCCC set forth initial requirements 
for national communications. Subsequently, Parties to the UNFCCC 
elaborated additional detailed guidelines relating to the content of 
the national communications. An overview of the reporting requirements 
is available from the UNFCCC Web site at: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/cop5/07.pdf. Guidelines specify chapter headings and the type of 
information that should be included in the report. Chapters are 
identified below.

Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary
II. National Circumstances
III. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
IV. Policies and Measures

[[Page 38079]]

V. Projections and Effects of Policies and Measures
VI. Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Change Impacts, and Adaptation 
Measures
VII. Financial Resources and Transfer of Technology
VIII. Research and Systematic Observation
IX. Education, Training, and Public Awareness

    In keeping with UNFCCC guidelines, the fifth CAR will provide an 
inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks and an estimate of 
the effects of mitigation policies and measures on future emissions 
levels. It will describe domestic programs as well as U.S. involvement 
in international efforts, including technology programs and associated 
contributions and funding. In addition, the text will include a 
discussion of national circumstances that affect U.S. vulnerability and 
responses to climate change.

Public Input Process

    This Federal Register notice solicits contributions and comments on 
all matters to be covered in the fifth U.S. CAR and in particular, on 
issues related to non-federal, state, regional, local, and private 
sector actions to address climate change. Comments may be submitted to 
using the e-mail address above or by mail to the contact listed above.
    The U.S. will release the draft text of the fourth CAR for review 
and comment in the fall of 2009. Comments on that document will be due 
within 30 days of release. Because of the time constraints on 
completing and printing the final text, a longer review period will not 
be possible.
    We invite input on all aspects of the document currently under 
development. Comments received in response to this Federal Register 
notice will be considered in the preparation of the draft of the fifth 
national communication.
    You may view the fourth U.S. Climate Action Report on the Internet 
at: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_natcom/submitted_natcom/items/3625.php.

    Dated: July 23, 2009.
Trigg Talley,
Office Director, Office of Global Change, Bureau of Oceans and 
International, Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E9-18230 Filed 7-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P