The fourth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG 4) and the fourth workshop under the Dialogue on long-term cooperative action to address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention (the Convention Dialogue) start their work in Vienna on 27 August 2007.

The negotiations on further commitments for post-2012 period are one of the key agenda elements of the up-to-date international negotiation process under the UNFCCC and Kyoto protocol. They are being held in the framework of AWG formed according to Decision 1/CMP.1 of the First Conference of the Parties acting as the Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP-1) in Montreal in 2005. This decision is based on the objective and principles of the UNFCCC as well as on the Article 3.9 of the Kyoto Protocol, stating that consideration of commitments for subsequent periods for Parties included in Annex I shall start “at least seven years before the end of the first commitment period” under the Kyoto protocol (2008-2012) or in 2005.

During its fourth session AWG is to continue consideration of the analysis of mitigation potentials and policies started at AWG 3 in May 2007. The AWG will also review its work programme and develop a timetable to guide the completion of its work so as to avoid a gap between the first and second commitment periods. AWG-4 will be resumed and concluded at the third session of the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 3) to be held in Bali from 3 to 14 December 2007.

More detailed information on AWG and its work may be found at .