The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 43/53 of 6 December 1988 and 44/207 of 22 December 1989, in which it recognized climate change as a common concern of mankind,
Recalling also its resolutions 45/212 of 21 December 1990, by which it established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to prepare an effective framework convention on climate change, and any related legal instruments as might be agreed upon, for signature during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and 46/169 of 19 December 1991, by which it provided for the continuation of work on climate change until the end of 1992,
Taking note with appreciation of the reports of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Framework Convention on Climate Change on its work up to May 1992 and the report prepared on behalf of the Committee, by its Chairman, for submission to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
Taking note of resolution 15 (EC-XLIV), adopted by the Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization at its forty-fourth session,
Noting that, in accordance with paragraph 4 of its resolution 46/169 and pursuant to resolution INC/1992/1 adopted by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on 9 May 1992, arrangements were made for the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee,
Noting also that the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee was held at Geneva from 7 to 10 December 1992,
Noting further the interim arrangements contained in article 21 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the provision that the secretariat established by the General Assembly in resolution 45/212 should be the interim secretariat of the Convention until the completion of the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention,
Noting with appreciation the support provided for the operation of the secretariat during 1992 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization, as well as by bilateral contributors,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General, with particular reference to the possible requirements for intergovernmental and secretariat work on the implementation of the Convention in the period up to and including the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention,
1. Welcomes the adoption, on 9 May 1992, of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Framework Convention on Climate Change and its signing by a large number of States;
2. Considers the Convention one of the achievements of the international community working through the United Nations and a first step in a cooperative response to the common concern for the change in the Earth's climate and its adverse effects;
3. Calls upon States that have not done so to sign or accede to the Convention, as appropriate, and all signatories that have not yet done so to ratify, accept or approve it, so that it may enter into force;
4. Invites signatories of the Convention to communicate to the head of the interim secretariat of the Convention, as soon as feasible, information regarding measures consistent with the provisions of the Convention, pending its entry into force;
5. Urges States to support and contribute to the activities at the national, subregional, regional and international levels related to the basic scientific and technical needs specified in the Convention, including those activities carried out under the World Climate Programme and the Global Climate Observing System;
6. Decides that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee shall continue to function in order to prepare for the first session of the Conference of the Parties, as specified in the Convention, and, in that context, to contribute to the effective operation of the interim arrangements set out in article 21 of the Convention;
7. Invites the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, in this regard, to implement expeditiously the plan of preparatory work drawn up at its sixth session, and requests the Secretary-General to make arrangements within the overall calendar of conferences for the Committee to hold sessions, in accordance with the needs of that plan;
8. Requests the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to promote a coherent and coordinated programme of activities by competent bodies aimed at supporting the entry into force and effective implementation of the Convention, including strengthening the capacities of developing and all other countries to prepare for their participation in the Convention;
9. Calls upon the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system involved in work relating to climate change, including the interim secretariat of the Convention, to initiate and strengthen such activities, where possible in collaboration with each other, and invites them to make information on these activities and on any coordination arrangements regularly available to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, through its secretariat;
10. Invites the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to convey information on its work to the General Assembly, as well as to the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Sustainable Development, as appropriate, in particular in the context of chapter 9 of Agenda 21;
11. Requests the Secretary-General to strengthen the secretariat established by the General Assembly in its resolution 45/212 so that it may function as the interim secretariat of the Convention until the completion of the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and, in that capacity, provide adequate support to the evolving work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, and also requests him to make provisions for this purpose within the current and forthcoming programme budgets;
12. Invites the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Meteorological Organization and other United Nations bodies with relevant expertise, to continue to cooperate closely with, and to contribute staff to assist, the head of the interim secretariat;
13. Requests bilateral sources to continue to assist the interim secretariat as hitherto;
14. Requests the head of the interim secretariat to maximize opportunities for collaborative work with other secretariat entities, including the secretariat of the Commission on Sustainable Development;
15. Requests the Secretary-General to maintain the special voluntary fund established under paragraph 10 of General Assembly resolution 45/212 to support the participation of developing countries, in particular the least developed among them and small island developing countries, as well as developing countries stricken by drought and desertification, in the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee and in the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, bearing in mind, inter alia, resolution INC/1992/1 of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee,
16. Also requests the Secretary-General to maintain the trust fund established under paragraph 20 of General Assembly resolution 45/212 to contribute to the costs of the interim secretariat of the Convention;
17. Takes note with appreciation of the contributions made to these extrabudgetary funds and invites further adequate and timely contributions to both funds;
18. Decides that, subject to the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolutions 40/243 of 18 December 1985, 41/213 of 19 December 1986 and 42/211 of 21 December 1987, the costs of the work of the Committee and the interim secretariat should be funded within the current and forthcoming programme budgets, without adversely affecting the programmed activities of the United Nations, and through voluntary contributions to the trust fund, as appropriate;
19. Welcomes the invitation by the Government of Germany to host the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention;
20. Invites the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to submit a final report to the General Assembly on behalf of the Committee on the completion of the Committee's work, following the conclusion of the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention;
21. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session on the implementation of the present resolution;
22. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-ninth session the item entitled "Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind".
93rd plenary meeting
22 December 1992
