United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Earth Summit – Beginning of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Rio de Janeiro was the venue for the 1992 United Nations Conference on Development and the Environment. This conference, which became known as the “Earth Summit 92” established two key global conventions: one on protecting biodiversity, and the other Framework Convention on Climate Change, now referred to as UNFCCC. Other key outcomes at the Earth Summit included the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development Principles, and Agenda 21, which made sustainable development a global priority.

For more information on the Rio Earth Summit, and also on the World Summit on Sustainable Development (also known as the WSSD, Earth Summit III or Rio +10), held in Johannesburg 2002, visit http://www.earthsummit.info.

Overview of UNFCCC

The Framework Convention established several key points that were used as the foundation for future action on climate change. For example, the UNFCCC:

acknowledged that climate change was real and caused by human activities such as land use changes (deforestation) and burning of fossil fuels

adopted the Precautionary Principle – that a lack of scientific certainty should not be used as an excuse for inaction

committed Parties to the United Nations to action on stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere through two key approaches: mitigation and adaptation.

Under the UNFCCC “mitigation” refers to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “Adaptation” refers to taking action to adapt to climate change, such as through drought-resistant cropping, higher sea-walls and removing dwellings from enlarged flood plains.

Nearly all human activity will be affected in some fashion by climate change. It will be harder for poorer countries to adapt than the wealthy industrialised nations. This creates an obligation for richer nations to help those countries that will be hardest hit by climate change.

For more information on UNFCCC see “A planetary Citizen’s Guide to the Global Climate Negotiations” and for more technical information see the UNFCCC website www.unfccc.int

Council of Parties (COP)

The UNFCCC entered into force in March 1994 after being formally approved by over 100 countries, including all developed countries. Once the Framework became legally binding, a process called Council of Parties (COP) was established. The purpose of the COPs was to negotiate responsibilities for action on climate change as part of the governance of the Framework. In fact it was the third COP, held in 1997 in Kyoto, where the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated. Now the Kyoto Protocol also has its own structure of governance, called the Meeting of Parties (MOP). The combined international meetings on climate change are now referred to as COP/MOPs. COP 12 and COP/MOP 2 are being held in Nairobi Kenya, 6-14 November 2006.

For more information on COP 12 and COP/MOP2 visit http://www.iisd.ca/climate/cop12

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The UNFCCC relies on an expert group of scientists, known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC was established by the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment Programme to assess information related to climate change, its potential impacts and options for mitigation and adaptation.

The IPCC website contains an abundance of technical information on climate change and can be accessed at http://www.ipcc.ch.