UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sets out the basic legal framework and principles for international climate change cooperation with the aim of stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to avoid “dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.”

To boost the effectiveness of the 1992 UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in December 1997. It committed industrialized countries and countries in transition to a market economy to achieve quantified emissions reduction targets for a basket of six GHGs. The Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period took place from 2008 to 2012. The 2012 Doha Amendment established the second commitment period from 2013 to 2020. In December 2015, parties adopted the Paris Agreement, which requires all parties to determine, plan, and regularly report on the nationally determined contribution (NDC) that it undertakes to mitigate climate change. Parties also submit aggregate progress on mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation, which are reviewed every five years through a Global Stocktake.

Events

Showing 11 - 20 of 91 results

UN Climate Change Dialogues 2020

With COP 26 delayed due to COVID-19, the UNFCCC decided to hold a series of virtual events to keep climate action and momentum alive, implement mandated events for 2020, and discuss ongoing and emerging issues, such as a sustainable recovery from the pandemic.  
Event 23 November 2020 - 4 December 2020

June Momentum for Climate Change

While a face-to-face meeting was impossible, the UNFCCC held a series of virtual events to keep climate action and momentum alive. Several events related to the work of the constituted bodies, which are the bodies that focus on implementing various aspects of the Convention and the Paris Agreement. These technical bodies provided updates on their work and future plans.  
Event 1 June 2020 - 10 June 2020

Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference - December 2019

Disconnects between the demands of people, science, and what the process could deliver—and between countries that want to look to the future and those focused on the past—ultimately undermined the ability for the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference to deliver, despite COP 25 running nearly 40 hours overtime.  
Conference of the Parties (COP) 2 December 2019 - 15 December 2019

Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week 2019

Like other Climate Weeks held in various regions, the event is envisioned as a stepping stone to the UN 2019 Climate Summit where UN Secretary-General António Guterres has encouraged countries to announce new, more ambitious nationally determined contributions.
Event 19 August 2019 - 23 August 2019

Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2019

The meeting advanced work on several issues to facilitate implementation of the Paris Agreement, due for completion at the Santiago Climate Change Conference in December 2019, including Article 6, Terms of Reference for the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage, reporting tables and other issues related to the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement, and the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture.
Event 17 June 2019 - 27 June 2019

Katowice Climate Change Conference - December 2018

Parties adopted the Katowice Climate Package at COP 24, which finalized nearly all of the Paris Agreement Work Programme, including decisions to facilitate common interpretation and implementation of the Paris Agreement on the mitigation section of NDCs, adaptation communications, transparency framework, Global Stocktake, and financial transparency. Work on Article 6 was not concluded. The COP was unable to agree on whether to “welcome” or “note” the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C of Global Warming.
Conference of the Parties (COP) 2 December 2018 - 15 December 2018

Bangkok Climate Change Conference - September 2018

UNFCCC parties had agreed to an additional meeting in the lead up to the Katowice Climate Change Conference COP 24 to ensure the "timely completion" of the Paris Agreement Work Programme.
Event 4 September 2018 - 9 September 2018

Bonn Climate Change Conference - April 2018

Subsidiary bodies adopted a decision on the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture and recommended a decision to the COP on the review of the effective implementation of the Climate Technology Centre and Network. As a unique feature, the Talanoa Dialogue asked parties and stakeholders to share stories around the questions “Where are we?” “Where do we want to go?” and “How do we get there?”
Event 30 April 2018 - 10 May 2018

Fiji / Bonn Climate Change Conference - November 2017

The COP launched the Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitative dialogue to take stock of collective progress towards the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals. COP 23 also established the “Fiji Momentum for Implementation,” a decision giving prominence to pre-2020 implementation and ambition. Parties also provided guidance on the completion of the PAWP and decided that the Adaptation Fund shall serve the Paris Agreement, subject to decisions to be taken by CMA 1-3.
Conference of the Parties (COP) 6 November 2017 - 17 November 2017

Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2017

The “elephant in the room” of continued US participation in the Paris Agreement soon became a non-issue as the Trump administration delayed its decision, allowing negotiators to settle back into a “business as usual” mode of work and incrementally advance efforts to operationalize the Paris Agreement through technical discussions under the three subsidiary bodies.
Event 8 May 2017 - 18 May 2017