What You Need to Know about the Paris Agreement, UNFCCC and COPs
Disclaimer: As a first-time attendee at COP, I want to clarify that I am not an expert. I reflect on insights gained in my climate policy class and YEAH fellowship
In 2022, I had the privilege of attending my first international energy conference — the Clean Cooking Forum, hosted through a partnership between the government of Ghana and the Clean Cooking Alliance. As a youth delegate representing Student Energy and Clean Cooking Alliance, my experiences were documented in a blog, which you can read here
At the time, many of my peers in the climate community were gearing up for COP27 in Egypt. I was eager to know more, so I bombarded them with questions: What is COP? Why is it important? Who attends? How does one secure attendance, and is there funding available?
Surprisingly, the responses were not clear. Fast forward to 2023, having completed an entire graduate-level course and delved into the works of influential authors (listed below) in climate policy and governance, including classics on Global Climate Change Politics, Climate Law, and Climate Governance — I now possess a much deeper understanding of the issues surrounding these questions.
- Vogler, John. 2016. Climate Change in World Politics
- Bodansky, Daniel, Jutta Brunnée, and Lavanya Rajamani. 2017. International Climate Change Law.
- Yamin and Depledge. 2005. International Climate Change Regime: A Guide to Rules, Institutions and Procedures
I also won a fellowship known as the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education (YEAH) Network. This multi-institutional network is designed to empower students with real-world experience in collaborative, evidence-based approaches to global environmental sustainability. As YEAH fellows we will be presenting at COP28 and my group will be presenting on SDG15: life on Land and its connection to climate change. Specifically the disconnect between nature and people.
I will be drawing upon the invaluable resources offered by the YEAH Network and the insights from the policy class and the three main books listed above, to tackle these questions.
- What is the United Nations Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement?
I like this diagram showcasing the historical evolution of climate change treaties over time. The key milestones, such as the establishment of the UNFCCC in 1992, the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, and the implementation of the Paris Agreement in 2015 (currently in effect) are highlighted in purple [1].
As it stands, there are 197 Parties to the UNFCCC, 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, and 196 Parties to the Paris Agreement. Note not all parties are individual countries; entities like the European Union are also included.
The UNFCCC is a framework for international governance in the fight against climate change, aiming to restrict the rise in average global temperatures. It’s important to note that there is no “world government” dedicated to addressing issues like climate change. Notably, countries in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to less than 4% of global emissions, find themselves disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change [2].
The Kyoto Protocol imposes legally binding emission reduction targets on developed country Parties. The initial commitment period spanned from 2008 to 2012, with a second commitment period commencing on January 1, 2013, and concluding in 2020 [2].
In contrast, the primary objectives of the Paris Agreement are to guide the global response to the looming threat of climate change. This involves constraining the rise in global temperatures this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and striving for further efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius [2].
2. What is Conference of the Parties (COP)?
The COP serves as the decision-making body within the UNFCCC regime. During these conferences, parties conduct a review of emission inventories submitted by other parties. They also evaluate the impact of measures taken and assess the progress made toward achieving the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC regime and its associated treaties [3].
The COP Presidency follows a rotational system among the five recognized UN regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, and Western Europe and Others. Consequently, the hosting venue for the COP shifts among these regional groups [3]. For instance, COP27 in 2022 took place in Africa (Egypt), and the upcoming COP28 in 2023 is being hosted in Asia (United Arab Emirates).
COPs are the largest platform for global climate change policy. It is important for young climate scientists, researchers, and activists to actively participate in this process. The decisions made at these conferences directly or indirectly impact us in our respective countries and communities.
3. How can I go to COP or participate at COPs?
Attending COP or participating in COPs is through a specific accreditation process. Since COPs are not open to the public, participants need to be accredited and possess the appropriate badges. To attend COP as an observer, individuals can be badged through registered delegates representing United Nations entities, intergovernmental organizations, or non-governmental organizations. The accreditation process is crucial, and networking within relevant constituencies and groups, like RINGO or youth groups, can provide opportunities for participation. Here’s an overview of how the badging system works:
Types of Badges: The UNFCCC badging system consists of five types of badges[3].
Participant Categories: There are three main categories of participants at UNFCCC meetings and conferences [4]:
- Representatives of Parties to the Convention and Observer States.
- Representatives of observer organizations.
- Members of the press and media.
Observer Status: I am attending COP28 as an observer, as a delegate/representative of an observer organization. In my case, Michigan Technological University is an official observer to the UNFCCC COPs as a non-governmental organization.
Types of Observers: Observers are further categorized into three types [4]:
The United Nations System and its Specialized Agencies e.g World Health Organisation.
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) e.g African Development Bank. You can see the complete list on the UNFCCC website here.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) e.g Michigan Technological University. You can see the complete list on the UNFCCC website here.
NGO Constituencies: NGOs are grouped into nine constituencies, including Research and Independent (RINGO), Children and Youth (YOUNGO), etc. Many universities fall under RINGO, so definitely visit the RINGO website for additional information.
Party Badges: Party badges are obtained through governments/parties.
At the YEAH PreCOP workshop in Washington DC I met young people who were going to be US negotiators . I am also part of the Zimbabwean Youth at COP28 group and through it I’ve also met young people who will be negotiators for Zimbabwe at COP28. So it’s possible for young people to participate on party badges as negotiators for example.
The COPs Venue and Access
The COP venue is divided into the blue and green zones.
Blue Zone: The Blue Zone is where official events and negotiations take place. To access this zone, any of the five types of badges I explained earlier is required.
Green Zone: In contrast, the Green Zone hosts events and exhibits that are open to the public. A badge is not needed to access this zone.
4. How possibly can more than 190 countries/parties negotiate at a 2 weeks event and reach agreements?
Negotiating and reaching agreements among more than 190 countries at events like COPs is complex but possible. Countries often form negotiating groups to align their interests and priorities. These groups provide a platform for coordinated negotiations. For example, South Africa is part of BASIC (now BRICS) and the African groups at COPs. I really like this graphic of the negotiating groups.
You can also look at these groupings via Carbon brief interactive Map too. Have fun!
I hope reading about the UNFCCC regime you have found a few opportunities to participate as a young person/researcher at COPs.
If you found this blog insightful, please let me know, and consider sharing it with your climate enthusiast friends. Should you like additional resources to enhance your understanding of the UNFCCC, don’t hesitate to email me.
My sources
[1] Y. A. Eddebbar, N. D. Gallo, and L. B. Linsmayer, “The Oceans and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,” Limnol. Oceanogr. Bull., vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 69–72, 2015, doi: 10.1002/lob.10059.
[2] AJLabs, “How much does Africa contribute to global carbon emissions?,” Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/4/how-much-does-africa-contribute-to-global-carbon-emissions
[3] “Conference of the Parties (COP) | UNFCCC.” https://unfccc.int/process/bodies/supreme-bodies/conference-of-the-parties-cop
[4] “Observer Handbook | UNFCCC.” https://unfccc.int/documents/624494
