Navigating COP: A Deep Dive into the UN Climate Conference Process

The UN Conference of the Parties, or COP, was established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brings together nearly all nations to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change. At COP meetings, which take place annually, countries work on strategies and agreements on climate change adaptation and mitigation, climate finance, justice, global health and sustainable development.

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Additional reporting by Martina Igini

Every year, nations that are part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gather for the Conference of the Parties, better known as COP.

The summit serves to evaluate their progress on climate through a formal, continuous cycle of national reporting, international review, and a five-yearly Global Stocktake (GST). Countries also negotiate collective strategies to combat climate change and foster international cooperation on climate issues. 198 Parties are currently part of the Convention – 197 states and the European Union.

The UNFCCC is a multilateral treaty established in 1992, following the release in 1990 of the first Scientific Assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the world’s most authoritative scientific body on climate change. The report provided a comprehensive evaluation of the scientific understanding of climate change at that time. Since then, the IPCC has completed six comprehensive Assessment Reports.

More on the topic: Explainer: What Is the IPCC?

The UNFCCC’s primary goal is to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations – the single-largest driver of climate change – at a level that prevents harmful, human-induced interference with the climate system.

Since entering into force in 1994, the UNFCCC and its annual gatherings have built the foundation for international climate negotiations, resulting in significant agreements such as the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The hosting of COP meetings rotates among the five UN regional groups: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Others. According to the UN, members of these groups decide which country will host each conference.

The inaugural COP was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995. This year’s summit, COP30, will take place between November 10 and November 21 in Belém, Brazil. It is the first UN climate change conference to be held in the Amazon rainforest region, a location widely described as being at the “epicenter” or “heart of the climate crisis”.

Follow our COP30 coverage.

Not Just Climate COPs

The term COP can also denote governance meetings of other treaty bodies. For example, in addition to the UNFCCC COP29, two other significant environmental COPs took place last year:

• The UN Convention on Biological Diversity, also known as COP16, which centered on nature and biodiversity, took place in October in Cali, Colombia.
• The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) took place in December in Saudi Arabia.

COP meetings have marked significant milestones in the climate movement by setting standards and promoting initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions, expediting the shift to renewable energy, and helping countries adapt to and enhance their resilience against climate-related challenges. These conferences play a crucial role in bringing governments together and uniting the private sector, industries, and individuals to address every aspect of the climate crisis.

COP Structure

COP meetings are vital for advancing global climate action under the UNFCCC. These meetings typically begin with plenary sessions, wherein representatives from nearly every country gather to discuss key issues, attend speeches and introduce major agenda items for negotiations.

To facilitate more focused discussions, the agenda is split across various negotiations groups that tackle specific topics such as mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology transfer. This structure allows for detailed dialogue and the development of proposals to be presented in plenary. 

Alongside such proceedings, dozens of side events are held organized by governments, NGOs and other stakeholders. These provide opportunities for networking, collaboration and showcasing innovative climate solutions. 

Many COP meetings include exhibitions and pavilions where countries and organizations showcase their climate initiatives and new technologies. At the end of each COP, the outcomes are compiled into a final document called the “COP Decision.” The document outlines the agreements reached and commitments made, serving as a reference for countries as they implement their climate pledges and highlighting the importance of accountability in the negotiation process.

Milestones 

Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty adopted at the 1997 COP3 in Kyoto, Japan. It commits its parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in recognition of the reality of global warming and the role of human-made carbon dioxide emissions. It established legally binding targets for developed countries, aiming for an overall reduction of 5.2% below 1990 levels during the first commitment period from 2008 to 2012.

To support compliance, the Protocol introduced flexibility mechanisms such as emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and Joint Implementation (JI), enabling countries to meet their targets in a cost-effective manner. It also acknowledged the principle of differentiated responsibilities, emphasizing that developed countries have a greater obligation to reduce emissions due to their historical contributions to climate change. Additionally, the Protocol mandated that parties monitor and report their emissions, ensuring both transparency and accountability.

While the Kyoto Protocol represented a significant advancement in international climate policy and set the stage for future agreements like the Paris Agreement, it encountered challenges, including the withdrawal of key emitting countries and the need for broader involvement from developing nations.

Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on December 12, 2015 and entered into force in November 2016.

The agreement united nations in a shared commitment to limit global warming to “well below 2C” above pre-industrial levels, with an aspirational goal of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5C. It emphasizes the need for nations to enhance their capacity to adapt to climate change and build resilience. Additionally, the Paris Agreement underscores the importance of aligning financial flows with low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development, ensuring that funding supports sustainability and mitigates climate risks.

Central to the agreement is the obligation for all parties to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), detailing their specific plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience. The agreement follows a five-year cycle, prompting countries to regularly review and enhance their commitments over time.

Check out our book review: ‘Landing the Paris Agreement’ By Todd Stern.

What Happened at COP29?

Last year’s COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, COP29 is widely considered a failure due to insufficient progress on climate finance and a lack of strengthened commitment to phasing out fossil fuels.

While countries reached a last-minute agreement on a new finance deal – $300 billion per year by 2035 – it was heavily criticized by Global South delegates, who had been pushing for “trillions, not billions”. They called the agreement a “joke” and “insultingly low”, given that experts put the amount needed to deal with the consequences of climate change at some $1.3 trillion annually.

Despite the previous summit, COP28, ending with an unprecedented call to “transition away” from fossil fuels, and scientists having long warned that curbing fossil fuel extraction and consumption is the only way to curb climate change and secure a liveable future, COP29 saw few related announcements.

The COP29 Presidency found itself at the center of numerous controversies.

Azerbaijan, last year’s host, is a highly fossil fuel-dependent state and the oldest oil-producing region in the world. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil and gas account for about 90% of the nation’s exports’ revenue and 60% of the government’s budget. Last April, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said his country will continue to invest in gas production in order to meet European Union demand for energy in a “sign of responsibility.” He also called fossil fuels “a gift of God,” a statement he reiterated during the first week of the summit.

Climate activists have long called COP meetings a “farce” due to the presence of thousands of fossil fuel representatives. Some 1,773 oil and gas lobbyists attended the summit in Baku. At COP28, at least 2,456 lobbyists were granted access, while COP27 allowed some 636 people linked to the fossil fuel industry to join the climate talks.

More on the topic: Did COP29 Succeed or Fail?

Future of COP

Despite the significance of COPs, the conferences face several notable challenges that will impact their future. The effectiveness of negotiations is often hindered by differences in political will between developed and developing countries. Even when agreements are successfully made, the challenges of ensuring compliance and effective implementation persist. Additionally, securing adequate financial support for developing nations to adapt to climate change and transition sustainable practices remains a challenge. 

As UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell put it at the end of COP29, the Azerbaijani presidency left Brazil with “a mountain of work to do.”

“The many other issues we need to progress may not be headlines but they are lifelines for billions of people. So this is no time for victory laps, we need to set our sights and redouble our efforts on the road to Belém. Even so, we’ve shown the UN Paris Agreement is delivering, but governments still need to pick up the pace. Let’s not forget, without this UN-convened global cooperation, we’d be headed towards 5 degrees of global warming,” Stiell said.

This article was originally published on November 7, 2024.