Type: Prelims Only

Why in the News?

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations are facing a credibility crisis, as years of underperformance, weak accountability, and neglect of developing countries’ concerns have created growing frustration.

About the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):

• Overview: The UNFCCC is an international treaty adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to address climate change by stabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere.
• Entry into Force: The Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994 and currently has 197 Parties, including all UN member states.
• Governing Body – COP: The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme decision-making body under the UNFCCC, which meets annually to assess progress and set new targets.
• Consensus-Based Process: The Convention operates on the principle of consensus, meaning all Parties must agree for a decision to be adopted.
• Article 2 Objective: The objective of the UNFCCC, as per Article 2, is to stabilize GHG levels at a point that prevents dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
• Key Agreements: The UNFCCC framework led to major global climate agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015).
• Institutional Structure: It has three main institutional bodies:

1. 1. SBSTA: Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice
   2. SBI: Subsidiary Body for Implementation
   3. UNFCCC Secretariat: Headquartered in Bonn, Germany

• Party Classifications:
  • Annex I: Developed countries (OECD + Economies in Transition); Obligated to reduce GHG emissions and submit regular reports.
  • Annex II: Subset of Annex I (OECD members); Required to provide financial and technological support to developing countries.
  • Non-Annex I: Developing countries; No binding emission targets but eligible for support and encouraged to act voluntarily.
  • LDCs (Least Developed Countries): Low-income, highly vulnerable nations; Receive priority support under UNFCCC for adaptation and capacity building.

Issues with the UNFCCC Process:

• Weak Enforcement: The process lacks enforcement mechanisms; countries that fail to meet commitments face no penalties.
• Consensus Delays: The consensus-based approach often leads to delays and diluted agreements due to the ability of a few nations to block progress.
• Unmet Commitments: Developed countries have not fulfilled the promised $100 billion per year in climate finance, which was due by 2020.
• Neglected Developing Country Needs: Critical needs for adaptation finance, capacity building, and technology transfer remain largely unmet for developing nations.
• Controversial Host Nations: The selection of host countries (e.g., UAE for COP28 and Azerbaijan for COP29) has drawn criticism due to their fossil fuel dependence.
• Demand for Reforms: At the Bonn Climate Conference (2024), developing countries called for reforms such as:
  • Shifting to majority-based decision-making
  • Imposing limits on fossil fuel industry participation in climate talks