The UNFCCC is an inter-governmental treaty entered the primary objective of which is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. It entered into force on 21 March 1994. It has been ratified by 197 countries, which are known as called Parties to the Convention.
Evolution of Conference of Parties (CoP)
Climate Change Mitigation-Background |
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (Rio Earth Summit): 172 countries participated, 108 at level of heads of State or Government. |
Major Outcomes - Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Statement of Forest Principles, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. |
1997 Kyoto Protocol: Annex I Parties commit to take binding reduction targets |
2002 UNFCCC, New Delhi, India: The Conference adopted the Delhi Ministerial Decleration that called for the efforts by the developede countries to transfer technology and minimize the impact of cliamte change on developing countries. |
2007 Bali COP: Introduction of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA), to engage developing countries in voluntary mitigation effort |
2009- 2010 (Copenhagen & Cancun COP): Comprehensive international system for collective action where major developing countries (including India) announced voluntary mitigation pledges. |
2011 Durban COP: Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) launched for evolving a new agreement for post-2020 period. |
2012 Lima COP : INDC concept for all countries. 2013 WarsawCOP: All countries required to prepare INDCs and present them before COP 21 in Paris. |
20th COP, Lima (2014): Further clarity on form of INDC: not mitigation centric and can include other components as per country priorities. |
21st COP, Paris (2015): COP 21 highlights the importance of pre-2020 mitigation ambition and enhancing the provision of finance technology and capacity building support by developing countries. |
22nd COP, Marrakesh (2016): Facilitative Dialogue on enhancing ambition and support held to discuss enhancement of pre-2020 ambition and provision of means of implementation. |
23rd COP, Bonn (2017): Agreement to undertake Stock of pre-2020 implementation at COP24 and COP 25 and consider pre-2020 actions as part of Talanoa Dialogue. Parties insisted to submit information in progress, for synthesis by the UNFCCC Secretariat. |
24th COP, Katowice, Poland (2018): The Conference was held to further the provisions of paris climate agreement . It finalized the specifics of Paris Climate Agreement. |
25th COP, Madrid, Spain (2019): The major outcome of the conference was - “The European Green New Deal” that sates European Union achieving zero net GHGs emissions by 2050 . |
26th COP, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 2021 The countries adopted The Glasgow Climate Pact, which sets a target for global warming of no more than +1.5°C, as well as getting around 140 countries to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050. It has asked the developed countries to at least double the $15 billion amount provided for adaptation in by 2025. |