An Overview of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a multilateral treaty that coordinates global cooperation in combating climate change. Understanding this foundational document is critical for comprehending the current state of international climate change efforts.
Framework Convention
The UNFCCC is built as a “framework convention.” Although this has no official legal meaning, all framework conventions have similar attributes: they are not legally binding and they have few obligations for member parties; instead, their purpose is to establish conversation on an issue with the hopes that it will lead to action.
This structure serves many purposes. For one, it allows actions to be taken incrementally, which is important for an evolving and often unpredictable issue like climate change. By not requiring extensive obligations, it is also more likely that hesitant parties will agree to the convention and participate in conversations. The conversations then serve to build trust between parties and to establish a consensus around facts and feasible legal responses.
Conference of the Parties
As such, the UNFCCC created the Conference of the Parties (COP), a yearly meeting of all States that have signed the UNFCCC. The most recent COP was COP26 in November of 2021 at Glasglow, United Kingdom. At these yearly meetings, Parties develop protocols and agreements that contain obligations and legal mechanisms to address climate change. Thus far, the UNFCCC has produced the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.
Principles and Objectives
While the UNFCCC does not have legally binding obligations, it does contain principles and objectives to guide COP conversations and actions. The Convention states its “ultimate objective” as follows:
“To achieve… stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.”
In addition to emphasizing the reduction of greenhouse gases, the UNFCCC also prioritizes scientific research, consistent reporting by parties on their climate change actions, and increasing public awareness of climate change. Further, it mandates that “lack of scientific certainty” should not prevent action to avert “threats of serious and irreversible damage.”
Division of Responsibilities
A division of responsibilities is central to the UNFCCC. Parties are differentiated into three groups: Annex I, Annex II, and Non-Annex I.
Annex I Parties include developed countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and countries that are on their way to becoming developed countries, known as “economies in transition.” Annex II Parties consist only of OECD members, and Non-Annex I Parties are developing countries.
Annex II Parties are expected to “take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof” and, more explicitly, to provide financial, technological, and intellectual resources and knowledge to Non-Annex I Parties for their climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. Annex I countries are specifically called upon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of returning to 1990 levels and are obligated to periodically report their progress.
Although it is not directly addressed by the UNFCCC, the increased responsibility of developed countries is likely because they are the majority contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and are in an economic position to take action.
It is also recognized that the primary goal of developing nations is the economic and social security of their citizens, which can sometimes be in opposition to climate change goals. Therefore, the UNFCCC explicitly notes that actions should be taken “on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”
Lasting Legacy
Thirty years after its conception, the UNFCCC still remains a landmark agreement that has spurred global action to combat climate change. It has now been signed by nearly every country in the world. Although the UNFCCC’s main objective of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations has not yet been achieved, its main purpose has: climate change has become a household topic of conversation, galvanizing the public and their respective governments to participate in COPs and find effective climate change solutions.
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https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/stockholm-kyoto-brief-history-climate-change
https://public.wmo.int/en/bulletin/history-climate-activities
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/paris-global-climate-change-agreements
https://unfccc.int/process/the-convention/history-of-the-convention#eq-1