A Journey Through Time: The Highs and Lows of the Conference of Parties from 1995 to Present Day

COP stands for Conference of Parties, which is the highest decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is an annual event where parties come together to review and assess the implementation of the Convention and take decisions to further enhance its effectiveness.

1. COP1 was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995. At the time, the goal of the Convention was to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
2. COP3, held in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, resulted in the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, which set legally binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries.
3. COP15, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009, was marked by high expectations but ended in disappointment as countries failed to reach a binding agreement on climate action.
4. COP21, held in Paris, France, in 2015, resulted in the adoption of the Paris Agreement, which set a goal to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with an aim to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
5. COP24, held in Katowice, Poland, in 2018, was considered a success as countries agreed on a set of rules to implement the Paris Agreement, including transparency, reporting, and accounting requirements.
6. COP25, held in Madrid, Spain, in 2019, was marked by controversy as countries failed to agree on important issues such as carbon markets and compensation for loss and damage.
7. COP26, originally scheduled to take place in 2020, was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021 and was considered a success as countries made progress on key issues, including emissions reductions, climate finance, and adaptation.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Conference of Parties (COP) is the highest decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is an annual event where parties come together to review and assess the implementation of the Convention and take decisions to further enhance its effectiveness.
2. COP3 resulted in the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, which set legally binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries, while COP21 resulted in the adoption of the Paris Agreement, which set a goal to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with an aim to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
3. COP15, held in Copenhagen in 2009, was marked by high expectations but ended in disappointment as countries failed to reach a binding agreement on climate action. In contrast, COP24 in 2018 was considered a success as countries agreed on a set of rules to implement the Paris Agreement.
4. COP25, held in Madrid in 2019, was marked by controversy as countries failed to agree on important issues such as carbon markets and compensation for loss and damage.
5. COP26, held in Glasgow in 2021, was considered a success as countries made progress on key issues, including emissions reductions, climate finance, and adaptation. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a delay in the event from 2020.
6. The highs and lows of the COP events over the past two and a half decades highlight the challenges of global climate action and the complexities of negotiating agreements between countries with different priorities and interests.
7. Despite these challenges, the COP events remain crucial platforms for international cooperation and decision-making on climate action, and they represent an ongoing effort to address the urgent issue of global climate change.

Sources:

"Conference of the Parties (COP)", United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/conferences/conference-of-the-parties-cop

"The History of COP: Key Dates and Milestones", Climate Reality Project, https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/history-cop-key-dates-and-milestones

"The highs and lows of 25 years of UN climate talks", Carbon Brief, https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-highs-and-lows-of-25-years-of-un-climate-talks