Article 6 of the Paris Agreement recognizes that some Parties choose to pursue voluntary cooperation in the implementation of their nationally determined contributions to allow for higher ambition in their mitigation and adaptation actions and to promote sustainable development and environmental integrity.
Decision 1/CP.21 mandated the SBSTA to operationalize the provisions of this Article through recommending a set of decisions to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement at its first session.

In response to the request from SBSTA 47, the SBSTA Chair has issued the informal documents relating to:

• Guidance on cooperative approaches:  SBSTA48.Informal.2;
• Rules, modalities and procedures for the mechanism:  SBSTA48.Informal.3;
• Work programme under the framework on non-market approaches: SBSTA48.Informal.4.

The SBSTA 47  (November 2017, Bonn, Germany) adopted conclusions on agenda items 11(a), 11(b) and 11(c) , contained in documents FCCC/SBSTA/2017/L.26, FCCC/SBSTA/2017/L.27 and FCCC/SBSTA/2017/L.28 respectively and took note of the third iteration of the informal note prepared by the co-chairs on 11(a), 11(b) and 11(c). To facilitate deliberations at SBSTA 48 (April–May 2018), the SBSTA requested its Chair to prepare an informal document containing the draft elements of the three above-mentioned conclusions relating to: guidance on cooperative approaches; rules, modalities and procedures for the mechanism; and the work programme under the framework on non-market approaches—based on prior submissions by Parties under these items and the third iteration of the informal note prepared by the co-chairs.

The SBSTA 46  (May 2017, Bonn, Germany) adopted conclusions on agenda items 10(a),
10(b) and 10(c) contained in documents FCCC/SBSTA/2017/L.15, FCCC/SBSTA/2017/L.16 and FCCC/SBSTA/2017/L.17, respectively and took note of the informal information note of the co-facilitators on 10(a), 10(b) and 10(c) . It also invited Parties to submit their views, inter alia, on the content of the guidance, modalities and procedures and the draft decision, including issues and elements to be addressed, including those raised by Parties at SBSTA 46 and requested the secretariat to organize a round-table discussion among Parties based on the submissions, to be held in conjunction with SBSTA 47 (November 2017, Bonn, Germany).

The SBSTA 45  (November 2016, Marrakech, Morocco) adopted conclusions on agenda items 12(a),
12(b) and 12(c). These are contained in documents FCCC/SBSTA/2016/L.28, FCCC/SBSTA/2016/L.29 and FCCC/SBSTA/2016/L.30, respectively.  Each of these invites guided submissions by Parties (see the referenced documents for the foci of submissions) and a roundtable discussion among Parties based on the submissions, to be held in conjunction with SBSTA 46 (May 2017, Bonn, Germany).

The SBSTA 44 (May 2016, Bonn, Germany) adopted conclusions on agenda items 11(a), 11(b)
and 11(c). These are contained in documents FCCC/SBSTA/2016/L.11, FCCC/SBSTA/2016/L.12 and FCCC/SBSTA/2016/L.13, respectively and include an invitation  for Parties and observer organizations to submit their views on the above mentioned guidance, rules, modalities and procedures for the mechanism and the work programme by 30 September 2016.