UNFCCC The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

UNFCCC stands for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The UNFCCC is an international agreement between countries which was created with the objective of achieving stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

The UFCCC opened for signature at the “Rio Earth Summit” in 1992. The Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994.

The UNFCCC, in its Art. 3.1, sets the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities between countries.

The UNFCCC sets forward the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities. Developed country parties to the UNFCCC have additional obligations under the Convention. The reason for this is two-fold: it considers the significant historic responsibility of developed countries in the emission of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere, as well as their higher capabilities to mobilize resources for the implementation of measures to mitigate climate change and to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change.

All parties, taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities, committed to:

• Develop, periodically update, publish (…) national inventories of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases
• Formulate, implement, publish and regularly update national and, where appropriate, regional programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change (…), and measures to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change;
• Promote and cooperate in the development, application and diffusion, including transfer, of technologies, practices and processes that control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (…) in all relevant sectors;
• Promote sustainable management, conservation and enhancement, as appropriate, of sinks and reservoirs of all greenhouse gases (…), including biomass, forests and oceans as well as other terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems;
• Cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change;
• … among other commitments.

Additionally to the commitments common to all UNFCCC parties, developed country parties, including the economies in transition listed in Annex II of the Convention, committed to:

• provide new and additional financial resources for developing country Parties to comply with their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1 of the Convention*. Including for technology transfer (art. 4.3)
• assist the developing country Parties that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting costs of adaptation to those adverse effects (art. 4.4)
• promote, facilitate and finance technology transfer and support the development and enhancement of endogenous capacities and technologies of developing country Parties (art. 4.5)

* Obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1:

• (a) A national inventory of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks (…);
• (b) A general description of steps taken or envisaged by the Party to implement the Convention; and
• (c) Any other information that the Party considers relevant to the achievement of the objective of the Convention and suitable for inclusion in its communication (…).

The UNFCCC is a legally binding for the countries that have ratified it. The UNFCCC has been ratified by 198 countries – the official list as documented by the United Nations is available here.

The UNFCCC has been ratified by 198 countries which are, therefore, parties to the Convention – the official list as documented by the United Nations is available here.

The COP stands for Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The COP is the supreme decision-making body of the Convention. Typically, it meets once a year, over the course of approximately two weeks. Each party sends a delegation of negotiators to the COP to represent it and defend its national interests and positions. The COP Decisions result of the negotiation between parties.

COP28 is the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. COP28 will take place from 30 November until 12 December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.