The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 45/212 of 21 December 1990, 46/169 of 19
December 1991, 47/195 of 22 December 1992, 48/189 of 21 December 1993, 49/120
of 19 December 1994 and 50/115 of 20 December 1995,
 
      Noting with satisfaction that most States and one regional economic
integration organization have ratified or acceded to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, and inviting States that are not
parties to take appropriate action to that end,
 
      Welcoming the achievements of the second session of the Conference of
the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held
at Geneva from 8 to 19 July 1996, and noting that the Conference of the
Parties at its second session adopted by consensus a series of substantive
decisions,
 
      Recalling that at its second session the Conference of the Parties took
note, without formal adoption, of the Geneva Ministerial Declaration which
received majority support among ministers and other heads of delegations
attending the Conference, which, inter alia, called for acceleration of
negotiations on the text of a legally binding protocol or another legal
instrument to be completed in due time for adoption at the third session of
the Conference of the Parties,
 
      Taking note with appreciation of the scientific contribution to the
convention process of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the
World Meteorological Organization/United Nations Environment Programme, and
also taking note of its second assessment report as the most comprehensive
assessment available to date of the issues related to global climate change,
 
      Concerned that changes in climate may result in significant and often
adverse impacts on many ecological systems and socio-economic sectors,
including food supply and water resources, and on human health, and noting
that in some cases the impacts are potentially irreversible, and that
developing countries and small island developing States are typically more
vulnerable to climate change,
 
      Looking forward to the continued efforts of the Conference of the
Parties and its subsidiary bodies in addressing climate change and, in
particular, to the successful conclusion of the Berlin Mandate process at the
third session of the Conference of the Parties,
 
      Reiterating that a comprehensive approach should be adopted by the
Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies in the implementation of
the Convention, including the full consideration of the particular situation
of the developing countries as recognized by the Convention,
 
      Taking note with appreciation of the generous offer of the Government of
Japan to host the third session of the Conference of the Parties at Kyoto from
1 to 12 December 1997,
 
      Noting that the relocation of the Convention secretariat to Bonn,
Germany, is well under way, and expressing its appreciation to the Government
of Germany and the city of Bonn for the facilities and support they are
providing to the secretariat,
 
      Recalling its request to the Secretary-General, as put forth in
paragraph 9 of resolution 50/115, to make the necessary arrangements to
include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for the biennium 1998-1999
those sessions of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies that
the Conference may need to convene in that period, and noting that those
arrangements should be made without prejudice to the outcome of the review
referred to in paragraph 3 below,
 
      Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the
implementation of resolution 50/115,
 
      1.    Notes the administrative arrangements regarding personnel and
financial matters that have been established in the context of the
transitional arrangement for administrative support to the secretariat of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for the biennium
1996-1997;
 
      2.    Also notes the arrangements made for the provision of conference
services to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and its subsidiary
bodies for the biennium 1996-1997;
 
      3.    Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General, as set forth in
paragraph 10 of resolution 50/115, to review the arrangements mentioned in
paragraphs 1 and 2 above towards the end of the biennium 1996-1997 and to
report on the results of that review to the Assembly at its fifty-second
session, taking into account evolving needs arising from the relocation to
Bonn of the Convention secretariat;
 
      4.    Notes with appreciation contributions made to the extrabudgetary
funds established under paragraphs 10 and 20 of resolution 45/212 and
maintained in accordance with resolution 47/195, and calls upon Member States
that are parties to the Convention to also contribute generously to the trust
fund for participation in the Convention process, envisaged in paragraph 15 of
its financial procedures, and to the trust funds envisaged for supplementary
activities under the Convention;
 
      5.    Calls upon Member States that are parties to the Convention to pay
in full and in a timely manner for each of the years 1996 and 1997, in
accordance with the indicative scale adopted by consensus by the Conference of
the Parties, the contributions required for the trust fund for the core budget
of the Convention, envisaged in paragraph 13 of its financial procedures, so
as to ensure continuity in the cash flow required to finance the ongoing work
of the Conference of the Parties, the subsidiary bodies and the Convention
secretariat;
 
      6.    Invites the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-
second session and, pending the outcome of the special session of the General
Assembly in 1997, to report on the results of future meetings of the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention;
 
      7.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the item entitled "Protection of global climate for present and future
generations of mankind" and to consider at that session the reviews requested
in paragraph 10 of resolution 50/115.