• Bonn Agreement
• Buenos Aires Plan of Action

What is the UNFCCC?

International response to climate change took shape with the development of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Adopted in 1992, the UNFCCC sets out a framework for action aimed at stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at a level that would prevent human-induced actions from leading to "dangerous interference" with the climate system. The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. It now has 186 Parties. Seven meetings of the Conference of Parties (COP) have taken place, as well as numerous workshops and meetings of the COP's subsidiary bodies.

What happened in Kyoto, Japan in 1997?

In 1995, the Ad Hoc Group on the Berlin Mandate was established by the first Conference of the Parties (or COP-1) to reach agreement on a further step in efforts to combat scientifically ackowledged climate change.

After intense negotiations at COP-3, held in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997, delegates agreed to a Protocol to the UNFCCC that commits developed countries and countries making the transition to a market economy to achieve quantified targets for decreasing their emissions of greenhouse gases. These countries, known under the UNFCCC as Annex I Parties, committed themselves to reducing their overall emissions of six greenhouse gases by at least 5% below 1990 levels over the period between 2008 and 2012, with specific targets varying from country to country.

The Protocol also provided the basis for three mechanisms to assist Annex I Parties in meeting their national targets cost-effectively - an emissions trading system, joint implementation (JI) of emissions-reduction projects between Annex I Parties, and a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to encourage joint projects between Annex I and non-Annex I (developing country) Parties. However, it was left for subsequent meetings to decide on most of the rules and operational details that will determine how these cuts in emissions are achieved and how countries' efforts are measured and assessed. Although some countries have signed the Protocol, most are waiting until these operational details are negotiated before deciding whether to ratify. To enter into force, the Protocol must be ratified by 55 Parties to the UNFCCC, including Annex I Parties representing at least 55% of the total carbon dioxide emissions for 1990. To date, 34 Parties have ratified the Protocol.

What is the Buenos Aires Plan Of Action?

The fourth Conference of the Parties (COP-4) met in Argentina, in November 1998, to set out a work schedule for reaching agreement on the operational details of the Protocol and for strengthening implementation of the UNFCCC itself.

This work schedule was outlined in a document called the Buenos Aires Plan of Action. The critical deadline under the Plan of Action was COP-6, where Parties would attempt to reach agreement on a package of issues.

Critical issues for resolution included rules relating to the three mechanisms, a regime for assessing compliance, and accounting methods for national emissions and emissions reductions. Rules on crediting countries for carbon sinks were also to be addressed.

Issues under the UNFCCC requiring resolution included questions of capacity building, the transfer and development of technology and assistance to those developing countries that are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change or to actions taken by industrialised countries to combat climate change.