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 21 - 30 of 91 results

Marrakech Climate Change Conference - November 2016

The Marrakech Climate Change Conference COP 22 was perceived to have two tasks. To the outside world, delegates had to demonstrate the UNFCCC could contribute to the momentum generated post-Paris by the actions of non-state actors, as well as other international processes. Internally, delegates had considerable technical work at hand, to build a foundation for the accelerated completion of the modalities, procedures and guidelines that will make the Paris Agreement implementable.  
Conference of the Parties (COP) 7 November 2016 - 19 November 2016

Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2016

Taking place in the shadow of the historic COP 21, the Bonn gathering was a low-profile meeting with an ambitious agenda aimed at rapidly taking up the technical work needed to operationalize the Paris Agreement.
Event 16 May 2016 - 26 May 2016

Paris Climate Change Conference - November 2015

Parties adopted the Paris Agreement on climate change. The Agreement sets the goals of: keeping global average temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; and enhancing global adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change.  
Conference of the Parties (COP) 29 November 2015 - 13 December 2015

Bonn Climate Change Conference - October 2015

Parties returned to Bonn disappointed following release of an ADP Co-Chairs’ text that many found unbalanced and unacceptable as a basis for further negotiations. They engaged in a text re-compilation exercise, followed by a painstaking process of streamlining and clustering with only five weeks to consider their options ahead of Paris.
Event 19 October 2015 - 23 October 2015

Bonn Climate Change Conference - August 2015

The meeting sought to produce of a clearer understanding and articulation of the elements of the “Paris package” regarding workstream 1 (2015 agreement) and workstream 2 (pre-2020 ambition), including by the development of bridging proposals and the crystallization of options for further negotiation.
Event 31 August 2015 - 4 September 2015

Geneva Climate Change Conference - February 2015

The Geneva conference was the first of several meetings in preparation for the Paris Climate Change Conference that will be held in France in December 2015. The body tasked with developing the Paris agreement is the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP), which based its work towards a negotiating text on the elements for a draft negotiating text annexed to Decision 1/CP.20 (Lima Call for Climate Action). The ADP contact group worked through the elements text section-by-section with parties proposing additions in places where they felt their views were not adequately reflected.
Event 8 February 2015 - 13 February 2015

Lima Climate Change Conference - December 2014

COP 20 adopted the “Lima Call for Climate Action,” which furthered progress on the negotiations toward the Paris Agreement. It elaborated the elements of a draft negotiating text and the process for submitting and synthesizing intended nationally determined contributions while also addressing pre-2020 ambition.  
Conference of the Parties (COP) 1 December 2014 - 14 December 2014

Bonn Climate Change Conference - October 2014

Despite limited progress overall, many delegates appreciated that the meeting had provided much-needed space for more in-depth exchanges of views. Many felt the meeting helped clarify countries’ and groups’ understanding of the spectrum of views, possible areas of convergence and divergence, and what underlies their positions and how these concerns might be addressed in Lima in December.
Event 20 October 2014 - 25 October 2014

Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2014

Unlike the last two June sessions, which were marred by procedural delays and agenda fights, the June 2014 Bonn Climate Change Conference was a quiet, slow dance, marked by coordinated chorography at times, and syncopated stumbling at others. 
Event 4 June 2014 - 15 June 2014

Bonn Climate Change Conference - March 2014

With the marathon Warsaw COP still fresh on their minds, many delegates acknowledged there will be choppy waters to navigate during the year. Pressure is on the ADP to fulfill its mandate: to develop a new legal instrument under the Convention applicable to all parties by 2015 to come into effect in 2020; and to close the pre-2020 ambition gap.
Event 10 March 2014 - 14 March 2014