9 October 2012: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published a synthesis report of parties’ submissions of their views on the common tabular format (FCCC/SBSTA/2012/INF.4), which is intended to serve as input to a workshop to be held on the same matter.

At its 36th session, the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 36) started considering the work programme on a common tabular format in accordance with the UNFCCC biennial reporting guidelines for developed country Parties. The SBSTA agreed that the work programme should include the submission of views from parties, the preparation of a synthesis report of these submissions, and the organization of a workshop and the preparation of a workshop report. In response to this, parties submitted their views, which were compiled in document FCCC/SBSTA/2012/MISC.11.

This synthesis report is based on the views submitted to the Secretariat at 8 October 2012 by seven parties: Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the US. These views contained parties’ views on: information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and trends; a quantified economy-wide emission reduction target; progress in achieving the quantified economy-wide emission reduction target; projections of GHG; and provision of financial, technological and capacity-building support to developing country parties.

The report, among other things, highlights the common trends in parties’ submissions and also notes areas where these views differ. It describes the different options for the common tabular format contained in the submissions, and presents these in an annex, emphasizing that as the options share many common elements, they are not mutually exclusive and could be combined. [Publication: Synthesis Report on the Submissions from Parties on the Views on the Common Tabular Format]