Glossary of climate change negotiations terminology

UNFCCC, COP, subsidiary bodies… if you’re confused by all the acronyms and terms used in climate negotiations, you’ve come to the right place. Use our glossary to help you navigate the increasingly complex environment of the global climate change negotiations and their role in pushing for ambitious climate action.

COP 29/CMP 19/CMA 6 closing plenary – photo: Vugar Ibadov

What is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is one of the three ‘Rio Conventions’ that were first discussed at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. They were signed to contribute to the sustainable development goals of Agenda 21, which aimed to prepare the world for the challenges of the next century.

The UNFCCC – also referred to as “the convention” – took effect in March 1994 as a way to bind member states to act in the interests of global progress on climate even in the face of (at the time) more scientific uncertainty.

The ultimate goal of the convention is to stabilise greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”, and in particular “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”.

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol operationalised the UNFCCC by setting targets for countries to limit and reduce their GHG emissions in line with the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).

This principle, foundational to the work under the convention, recognises that the responsibility for action and provision of finance should not be born equally by countries. Rather, it focuses on developed countries – placing a heavier burden on them because they are largely responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions globally.

What are the subsidiary bodies (SBs) and what do they do?

There are two subsidiary bodies (SBs) that support the work of the UNFCCC. The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). The SBs meet twice a year (once during the Bonn Climate Change Conference and once during the COP).

The SBI focuses on the implementation of climate policies and actions and covers discussions on the three pillars of climate action (mitigation, adaptation, action to address loss & damage) as well as on financial mechanisms. It plays a vital role in enhancing and maintaining robust transparency and accountability processes for countries in responding to climate change.

The SBSTA provides the scientific and technological advice needed to implement the Paris Agreement. It provides evidence, data and methodologies supporting mitigation and adaptation efforts.

What is the Bonn Climate Conference?

The Bonn Climate Conference involves meetings of the bodies established under the UNFCCC to provide opportunities for country delegates to make progress on agenda items in advance of the 2025 UN climate change conference (COP 30) in November. It gives Member States involved in the UNFCCC process the opportunity for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and consensus building.

What is the Conference of the Parties (COP)?

The Conference of the Parties COP is the overarching decision-making body of the UNFCCC. All states that are Parties to the UNFCCC are represented at the negotiating table at the COP where countries adopt and take decisions on the effective implementation of the Convention.

COP meets every year, and the presidency rotates between the five recognised UN regions (Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, and Western Europe and Others).

What is the Paris Agreement?

The Paris Agreement is a legally-binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by parties at COP21 in 2015 in France and entered into force the following year.

The overarching goal of the agreement is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C  above pre-industrial levels”.

This was the first time that a legally-binding agreement had brought nations together to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

What is the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism and downward adjustment?

The Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) is the framework established through Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement for the validation and issuance of carbon credits between countries. It establishes the framework for an international carbon market by enabling countries and other actors to work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions by generating high-integrity carbon credits.

The ‘downward adjustment’ mechanism is introduced in recognition of the fact that – if global emissions reduce annually – the number of carbon credits issued globally must be reduced by a commensurate amount. This will avoid a scenario where countries or industry players can ‘pay to pollute’ whilst continuing to increase emissions.

What is the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance (NCQG)?

The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) is the target that was negotiated and agreed under the UNFCCC at last year’s COP in Baku. It outlines a more ambitious and realistic framework for developed countries to provide financial support to developing countries.

It was agreed that developed countries need to mobilise at least $300bn (USD) per year by 2035 with the goal of scaling up overall climate finance (including contributions from the private sector) to $1.3tn by 2035.