What COP Is and How It Works?
- COP is the apex decision-making platform of the UNFCCC, where all Parties meet annually to review implementation of climate obligations and negotiate future action.
- Decisions are made by consensus, guided by principles of equity and CBDR-RC (Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities).
- The COP also supervises the implementation of both the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, and periodically reviews global progress through mechanisms like the Global Stocktake.
Structure & Key Functions
- Presidency rotates among five UN regions; host country leads agenda-setting.
- Supported by bodies like the SBSTA, SBI, and ad-hoc working groups created for specific negotiations.
- Core roles include:
- setting long-term mitigation pathways
- strengthening adaptation and resilience planning
- determining climate finance needs & obligations
- overseeing technology transfer and capacity-building
- updating rules on transparency and reporting
- facilitating global cooperation on loss & damage, carbon markets, and climate justice
Major Historical Milestones
- Kyoto Protocol (COP3, 1997): First legally binding emission-cut commitments for developed countries; introduced CDM and emissions trading.
- Paris Agreement (COP21, 2015): Universal treaty to keep warming “well below 2°C”; launched NDCs + 5-year cycle, long-term low-emission strategies, and enhanced adaptation goals.
- Loss & Damage Fund (COP27–COP28): Recognition of climate-induced losses; fund operationalised for vulnerable countries.
First Global Stocktake (2023): Assessment of global progress and gaps under Paris Agreement.
