COP stands for “Conference of the Parties,” which refers to the annual gathering of 198 nations from around the world that have signed an agreement to negotiate in support of the environment. This agreement is known as the UNFCCC – the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The treaty was adopted in 1992 during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the famous “Earth Summit,” which took place that year in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Its goal was to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to mitigate climate change, a concern that had been growing since 1970.
Earth Summit (1992)
However, to ensure that this issue was regularly discussed, it was necessary to create a space for debate. The Conference of the Parties emerged as a platform to bring together the countries (parties) that committed to the UNFCCC. It is seen as a barometer for evaluating progress in the fight against climate change, as well as a venue to discuss new commitments and negotiate global policies related to the issue.
The Earth Summit in 1992 also established the concept of “common but differentiated responsibility,” where developed countries would bear greater responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions – dating back to the Industrial Revolution – than developing countries. Therefore, the latter would also have a more significant role in climate financing.
Why is COP important?
This is the main international forum for climate change negotiations. It brings together the signatory countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) annually, aiming to evaluate the progress made on global climate actions, discuss strategies, and strengthen international commitments to address the climate crisis.
Representatives from the 198 countries that are members of the UNFCCC participate in COP, including heads of state, ministers, and technical delegations. In addition to governments, the event also mobilises various civil society actors, such as non-governmental organisations, businesses, indigenous peoples, youth groups, community leaders, financial institutions, universities, and research centres.
During the conference, agreements and decisions are negotiated, which can be legally binding or voluntary – as was the case with the Kyoto Protocol and, more recently, the Paris Agreement. These instruments set targets, commitments, and financing mechanisms to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, foster climate adaptation, and promote international cooperation. These decisions, in turn, will impact various layers of society.
For this reason, there is often intense social mobilisation around COPs. Activists become essential spokespeople, not only representing but also having the power to influence public opinion, raising questions about the agreements and pressuring governments for solutions based on the lived experience of those who suffer most from climate change.
In addition to Txai Suruí, a Brazilian indigenous leader, other Latin American activists have participated in COPs, including Nemonte Nequimo, an indigenous leader from Ecuador, Xiomara Acevedo, founder of the NGO Barranquilla, and Amanda da Cruz Costa, a Brazilian climate activist, anti-racist, and ecofeminist.
View this post on Instagram
Along with journalists, who spread COP discussions to media outlets around the world, the collaboration of diverse forces and knowledge represents a proposal for collective action, recognising different living conditions and seeking solutions adapted to each region.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The IPCC is a scientific body established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1988, even before the COP came into being.
Formed by a panel of scientists, the IPCC monitors environmental changes and identifies opportunities to mitigate the damage caused by human activity. Its studies are published every 6 to 7 years and involve experts in climatology, biology, economics, and social sciences – enriching the studies and guiding the solutions proposed by COP.
In fact, until 2024, the IPCC estimated that global warming of 1.5°C would occur around 2050. However, this threshold was unexpectedly reached this year, signalling that climate change is progressing much faster than anticipated.
Key agreements established by COP
Kyoto Protocol
Signed in 1997 at COP3 in Kyoto (Japan), this protocol aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through targets that had to be met by developed countries. Developing countries, on the other hand, could contribute with their own measures. The goal was to reduce emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels.
The agreement came into force only in 2005 and, although ratified by 190 nations and territories, it lacked the validation of some countries deemed essential for achieving the expected results. In Latin America, Honduras, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Barbados, Guatemala, and Uruguay were signatories to the protocol.
In fact, there was a reduction in pollutant gas emissions between 2005 and 2012 due to the efforts of several signatory countries. However, the global emissions rate increased by 38%. Despite this, the Kyoto Protocol made significant contributions to slowing down global warming by laying the groundwork for future carbon market initiatives and investments in clean technologies in countries most vulnerable to climate change – a proposal present in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
Paris Agreement
The need for a more efficient plan to reduce pollution led to the Paris Agreement, which replaced the Kyoto Protocol. The intervention took place in 2016 at COP21, which was hosted in Paris, France.
In addition to the objective already set in the previous agreement, this one reinforced the concern over the rise in global temperatures compared to pre-industrial levels, calling for measures to help keep it below 2°C – ideally, lower than 1.5°C – which, unfortunately, was surpassed in 2024.
Geopolitical tensions also directly affect countries’ participation in global climate treaties. One of the most emblematic cases is that of the United States, one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, which, under the Trump administration, announced in 2017 its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
In 2021, with Joe Biden taking office, the country re-engaged with its climate commitments. However, in 2025, the United States began the withdrawal process again with the return of Trump, reigniting concerns about its stance on the international environmental agenda – and consequently serving as a reflection for other major nations.
Differences between the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement
The main difference between the two treaties lies in their approach. The Paris Agreement relaxes the traditional distinction between developed and developing countries, maintaining the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, but allowing all countries to make voluntary commitments according to their capacities and national contexts. Nations must set targets (called NDCs) to mitigate global warming and review them every five years.
Additionally, the Agreement encourages advanced economies to invest in emerging nations, enabling them to build infrastructure to adapt to climate change.
While the climate targets set in the Paris Agreement are voluntarily defined by each country, the insufficient ambition of some of these targets and the lack of effective implementation by signatory nations have hindered global progress in combating climate change.
UAE Consensus
With the aim of implementing practical actions more urgently, strengthening the Paris Agreement, COP28 (2023) created the UAE Consensus.
This initiative highlights the importance of a just transition and reinforces the need for financial and technological support to developing countries – themes that the Paris Agreement addressed in more general terms. However, like other multilateral initiatives, the UAE Consensus faces challenges in moving from theory to practice due to the complexity of international negotiations, divergences among countries, and the lack of strict monitoring mechanisms, which may limit its practical impact in the short term.
What will be discussed at COP30?
This year, COP’s agenda will focus more on the energy transition and climate financing.
A just energy transition ensures that the shift to a low-carbon economy is both balanced and inclusive. Its goal is to minimise the negative impacts on workers, vulnerable communities, and local economies that depend on sectors like coal mining and the oil industry.
Moreover, the discussion will revolve around how to ensure that developing countries receive adequate financing to implement this transition without compromising their economic development – a factor closely linked to climate justice. Other topics under discussion may include the use of renewable sources such as green hydrogen, carbon market mechanisms, biodiversity conservation, and regenerative agriculture.
The post Did you know that the Conference of the Parties (COP) was initiated in LatAm? appeared first on Sherlock Communications.
