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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

The United Nations General Assembly, in response to the First Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, convened a series of meetings that culminated in the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro in May 1992. The UNFCCC took effect on 21 March 1994.

The long-term objective of the UNFCCC is to prevent “dangerous anthropogenic (man-made) interference with the climate system”.

The UNFCCC sets out broad principles for change and has set up a process through which governments can meet regularly.

Initiatives specifically related to the UNFCCC:

All developed countries that ratified the UNFCCC agreed to non-binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000, but only a few countries made appreciable progress towards achieving their targets. The international community recognised that the UNFCCC alone was not enough to ensure greenhouse gas levels would be reduced to safe levels, and that more urgent action, with more powerful (and legally binding) measures was needed. Negotiations on a protocol, known as the Kyoto Protocol, began in 1995.

Informal workshop on MRV and review

In May 2011, the Ministry for the Environment hosted an international workshop on measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and review issues under discussion in the UNFCCC negotiations.

Experts from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Commission, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Samoa, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United States, the UNFCCC secretariat and the OECD participated in the workshop.

The objective of the workshop was to identify, discuss and begin to resolve issues that will help facilitate the successful adoption of measurement, reporting, verification and review decisions within the UNFCCC process. A background paper presenting an overview of MRV and review related requirements of the Cancun agreement and current reporting and review procedures already in place under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol was circulated in advance to identify gaps and facilitate discussion.

In addition, short background papers were prepared on International Consultation and Analysis (ICA), International Assessment and Review (IAR), Finance, and on capacity building needs.

View the papers and the final report from the workshop (PDF, 750 KB).

 

For more information visit the UNFCCC website.

Last updated: 13 June 2011