United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Kyoto Protocol parties

Green-climate-gcf-fund-pledges

2014-06-12 Altes Abgeordnetenhochhaus, Bonn IMG 5597

UNFCCC parties

UNFCCC Annex I Parties, OECD, EU

Panorama- UNFCCC 'Family' photo shoot- We Will Move Ahead COP22 (31074469326)

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty adopted on May 9, 1992, and opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to 14, 1992. It then entered into force on March 21, 1994. The UNFCCC's objective is to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system." It is designed to achieve this without inflicting significant damage to the world economy.

Background

The UNFCCC was created in response to the growing concern over global warming and the increasing evidence that human activities were contributing significantly to the problem. It acknowledges that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Under the Convention, governments gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies, and best practices. They also launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries.

Key Features

The UNFCCC itself does not set binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no enforcement mechanisms. Instead, it provides a framework for negotiating specific international treaties (called "protocols") that may set binding limits on greenhouse gases.

Kyoto Protocol

The most well-known of these is the Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, which included legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Paris Agreement

More recently, the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, marking a significant international effort to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement works on a 5-year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action carried out by countries. By 2020, countries were to submit their plans for climate action known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

Structure

The UNFCCC is an extensive document that outlines how international meetings discussing climate change, known as Conferences of the Parties (COP), will be conducted. The COP is the highest decision-making authority of the convention and meets annually to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

Secretariat

The UNFCCC's secretariat, located in Bonn, Germany, supports all institutions involved in the climate change process, particularly the COP, the subsidiary bodies, and the parties to the Convention. It organizes events, publishes informational materials, and assists in the implementation of decisions.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite its critical role in international climate change negotiations, the UNFCCC has faced criticism for its slow progress and the failure of participating countries to meet their emission reduction targets. The complexity of negotiations and the consensus-based decision-making process have been pointed out as obstacles to more decisive action against global warming.

Future Directions

The future of the UNFCCC largely depends on the willingness of countries to enhance their climate action and fulfill their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The focus is increasingly on adaptation, finance, technology, and capacity-building to enable countries, especially those most vulnerable to climate change, to reduce their emissions and adapt to climate impacts.