ADP Text 11/6/15 Revision: Section M: Peer Review Process.

Throughout I feel as though I've been saying that all problems will be solved by the peer review process. As such it is essential that the agreement includes a section dedicated to establishing that peer review process. This is my attempt at how that section should be worded.

The reasoning behind my decisions can be found here; http://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/adp-ex-ante-review-general-concepts.html

And here; http://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/adp-ex-ante-review-my-thoughts.html

I have temporarily labelled it as Section M because that was the next available. However in the final draft I may move it up in the document so it is closer to the Mitigation and Adaptation sections.

Paragraph 1 - "Prior to being inscribed all parties INDC's will be subjected to an ex ante peer review."

Paragraph 2 - "The result of that review is to be non-binding and without prejudice."

Paragraph 3 - "At the quarterly meeting 15 months prior to the date of inscription the Secretariat shall divide participating nations into working groups of no fewer then five and no more then eight members.

Each working group shall contain;

(a). At least one nation listed in Annex I of the Kyoto Protocol,

(b). At least one nation from the G77 group of nations,

(c). At least one nation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC's) group,

(d). At least one nation from the Small Island Developing States (SIDS),

Once those criteria have been met the remaining members of the working groups shall be assigned on a random basis."

Paragraph 4 - "At the quarterly meeting 15 months prior to the date of inscription the Secretariat will assign each working group INDC's to review equal to their number of members.

Each working group shall be assigned;

(a). At least one INDC containing an Absolute Reduction in emissions where available,

(b) At least one INDC containing an Intensity Reduction where available,.

Once those criteria have been met the remaining INDC's will be assigned on a random basis."

Paragraph 5 - "No working group may review the INDC of one of it's members. In the event of conflict the INDC will be reassigned to another working group in accordance with the criteria laid out in Paragraph 4."

Paragraph 6 - "At the quarterly meeting/COP 12 months prior to the date of inscription each party will present their INDC to the working group to which it has been assigned."

Paragraph 7 - "Following the presentations each member will prepare a report on the INDC's assigned to the group.

That report is to be;

(a). Based on the criteria laid out in Technical Annex (X),

(b). Based on science,

(c). An assessment of the overall deliverability of the INDC,

(d). An assessment of the adequacy and fairness of the INDC in line with the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities,

(e). An opportunity to identify any weaknesses or missed opportunities within the INDC,

(f). An opportunity to assist the nation in the delivery of it's INDC and the drawing up of future INDC's."

Paragraph 8 - "At the quarterly meeting 9 months prior to inscription group members are to present their reports to the working group. The working group will then begin work on a single synthesis report for each INDC before the group. These are to be based on the commonalities between the individual reports."

Paragraph 9 - "At the quarterly meeting 6 months prior to inscription the working groups will then present their synthesis reports along with the individual reports to the nation(s) whose INDC has been reviewed by the group. If a synthesis report cannot be produced only the individual reports will be presented."

Paragraph 10 - "Nations will then have 6 months to consider the results of the ex ante review and the option amend their INDC's prior to inscription."

Paragraph 11 - "At any point during the review process the Secretariat may exercise the right to conduct it's own review of any INDC as it sees fit."

Paragraph 12 - "Following the publication of the synthesis reports and prior to inscription any party may request that the Secretariat conducts a review of it's amended INDC. This further review may be carried out at the discretion of the Secretariat."

Paragraph 13 - "If a party feels that it cannot work as part of its assigned group it can request the Secretariat transfers it to another group upon presentation of a valid reason. Any transfers must adhere to the criteria laid out in Paragraph 3 and are wholly at the discretion of the Secretariat."

Paragraph 14 - "At the mid-way point/ 5 years into the commitment period all parties will be subject to an ex post peer review process."

Paragraph 15 - "The result of that review is to be non-binding and without prejudice."

Paragraph 16 - "The ex post review will be carried out by the same working groups assigned during the ex ante review."

Paragraph 17 - "During the ex post review the working groups will be assigned the same INDC's they were assigned during the ex ante review."

Paragraph 18 - "At the quarterly meeting six months prior to the mid-point COP each party will make a presentation on the progress of their INDC to the working group to which it has been assigned."

Paragraph 19 - "Following the presentations each member of the working group will prepare a report on each of the INDC's assigned to their group.

That report is to be;

(a). Based on the criteria laid out in Technical Annex (X),

(b). Based on science,

(c). An assessment of the progress made towards the delivery of the INDC,

(d). A re-assessment of the adequacy and fairness of the INDC in respect to it's progress towards delivery in line with the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities

(e). An opportunity to identify any weaknesses or missed opportunities within the INDC,

(f). An opportunity to assist the nation in the delivery of it's INDC and the drawing up of future INDC's"

Paragraph 20 - "At the quarterly meeting 3 months prior to the mid-point COP group members are to present their reports to the working group. The working group will then begin work on a single synthesis report for each INDC before the group. These are to be based on the commonalities between the individual reports."

Paragraph 21 - "At the mid-point COP the working groups will present their synthesis reports along with the individual reports to the nation(s) whose INDC has been reviewed by the group. If a synthesis report cannot be produced only the individual reports will be presented."

Paragraph 22 - "The individual and synthesis reports of the ex post review are to be used to guide the Secretariat's strategic review identified in Section J of this agreement."

Paragraph 23 - "At any point during the review process the Secretariat may exercise the right to conduct it's own review of any INDC as it sees fit."

Paragraph 24 - "New institutional arrangements or strengthened institutional arrangements may be needed to serve this agreement." 

15:15 on 13/11/15 (UK date).