Timeline of Key International Climate Agreements and COPS

1979 

The first world climate conference took place in Geneva sponsored by the World Meteorological Organisation. The conference brought together scientists rather than world leaders, who evaluated climate data and considered impact studies. 

1988 

The Panel is the United Nations organisation responsible for assessing scientific evidence in relation to climate change. The Panel creates reports on the ‘scientific, technical and socio-economic’ awareness of climate change, in turn considering the impacts and risks it is having on our world.  

The latest report completed by the Panel was the Sixth Assessment Report 2023 (link included below).  

https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/ 

1990 

The Second World Climate Conference took place to establish a global treaty on climate change. This was more politically focused than the first climate conference. 

1992 

This was the first major sign of progress, with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change opened for signatures to the 179 countries present.

Key points of the summit include:

• The Rio Declaration contained 27 key principles.
• Agenda 21 established: setting out a strategy to invest in 21st century sustainable development.
• The Commission for Sustainable Development established.

1994 

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change established and brought into force.

1995 

Key points of this COP include:

• First conference of the Parties in the UNFCCC.
• As an EU member, the UK was part of discussions for the Berlin Mandate, focusing primarily on developed nations responsibilities.
• The Berlin mandate is no longer of relevance, being replaced by initiatives that it paved the way for – the later Kyoto protocol and Paris Agreements.

1997 

Key points of this COP include:

• 192 countries present.
• Commitments made by industrialised countries to transition towards limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
• Each country establishes different targets, heavier burdens placed on more developed countries.
• Pledges to reduce emissions by 5% compared to 1990 levels.
• Established flexible market mechanisms, international emissions trading, clean development mechanisms, joint implementation schemes.
• Encouraging GHG abatement – trying to be cost effective, supporting developing countries.
• Rigorous monitoring, review and verification system – registration, submissions of annual emissions inventories and national reports, compliance systems etc.
• Adopted in 1997, came into force in 2005, first commitment period later established from 2008-2013 

Amendments made in Doha in 2020 – The specific mechanisms set out in the Kyoto Protocol are largely outdated and have been replaced by more recent agreements like the Paris Agreement.

2001  

Key points of this COP include:

• The Marrakech Accords are adopted, which set out the detailed rules for implementing the Kyoto protocol.
• Setting up new funding and planning instruments for adaption to climate change.
• Establishing a technology transfer framework, supporting the transition to more environmentally sound technologies in developing countries, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

2005 

Key points of this COP include:

• Kyoto protocol is brought into force.
• The first meeting of the parties after the Kyoto protocol has been in full force.
• Establishing of the Clean Development Mechanism.

 A compliance mechanism is established for the Kyoto Protocol which provided proper advice and assistance of an enforcement branch if counties fail to meet their commitments – this ensures transparency and accountability.

2009 

Key points of this COP include:

• Setting out the Copenhagen Accord, which was a political agreement between around 25 parties, all parties present didn’t come to a binding agreement for long-term plans.
• Some reluctancy around fulfilment of Kyoto commitments, so lots of diplomatic work took place. 

2010 

Key points of this COP include:

• Countries make official emission reduction pledges, as well as commit to helping developing nations protect themselves from climate impacts.
• Clear objectives set out in reducing human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, keeping global average temperature increases below 2°C.

The Cancun Agreements were the largest collective world effort to reduce emissions, encompassing finance, technology and capacity-building support to help developing nations tackle the impacts of climate change.

2012 

Take on a second commitment period from 2013-2020, not all countries committed to the Doha Amendments which significantly limited the effectiveness. By the end of the second commitment period focus had largely shifted to the Paris Agreement.  

2015 

The key points of the Paris Agreement include:

• Key aims of the agreement are set out in Article 2.
• To limit global warming to well below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
• Described as universal and legally binding, but there are no specific monitoring methods.
• 198 parties committed to drawing up long term, low GHG emission development strategies.
• The UK affirmed commitment to the Paris Agreement in the policy document ‘securing our prosperity through a global climate change agreement’.
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are voluntary climate pledges as to what climate action countries will take in order to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature limit.
• Review mechanism for review of the NDCs every 5 years.
• The UK exit from the EU did not affect the UK’s obligations under the Paris Agreement.
• The Climate Change Act 2008, set a target of 80% less emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.
• Additional system of carbon budgeting, legally binding emission limits etc.

2018 

Key points of this COP include:

• Technical rules and guidelines to implement the Paris Agreement.
• A ‘solid roadmap for climate action’.
• Introduction of a transparency framework to ensure nations are doing all they can to address climate change.

2020/2021 

Key points of this COP include:

• 12 themed days of the conference, looking at matters of finance, energy, youth and public, nature, adaptation, gender and science, transport, cities etc.  
• Parties review their progress in the past five years and set new ambitions for the next 5 year cycle.
• Glasgow Climate Pact – signed by 196 countries.
• Reaffirmed the targets of the Paris Agreement and efforts to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by 45% by 2030 relative to 2010 and to reach net zero by 2050.

UK announcements: 

• Launch of the Clean Green initiative, helping developing countries take advantage of green technology – £3billion in climate financing for green growth over the next five years.
• Promote Green UK aid programmes.

2022 

Key points of this COP include:

• 30th anniversary of the UNFCCC.
• Publication of the UN Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report 2022 – held there was still ‘no credible pathway to 1.5°C’.
• Parties signed the Sharm-el-Sheikh Implementation Plan, summarising agreements on declarations on topics from energy adaptation and damage funding for vulnerable countries experiencing the effects of climate disasters.
• Carbon Brief: the results focused more on the impacts of climate change rather than the causes.
• New funds for ‘loss and damage’ main focus.

UK policy at this point:  

• The UK has an important leadership role in taking significant climate action.
• Finance focus at the centre of COP27.
• £5million in funding for the Santiago Network: green technology network for developing countries.

2023 

Key points of this COP include:

• Focused on the transition away from fossil fuels.
• Many of the UK COP28 agreements have been criticised for being limited.
• Additional financial pledges were made to support the loss and damage fund, established at COP27 and launched at COP28.
• A declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action was made – supported by 159 countries.
• Targets to triple the capacity of renewable energy like wind and solar power.
• Calls to accelerate low and zero emission technologies like carbon capture and storage.
• Warnings about the world being on track for around 2.7C of warming by 2100.
• UN said the window for keeping the 1.5C limit in reach was rapidly narrowing.