[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 office@usgcrp.gov''. 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
office@usgcrp.gov''; (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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