United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) | Upsc Environment

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):

It came to force on 21st March 1994.

The 195 countries that have ratified it are called the Parties to the Convention.

The UNFCC is a Rio Convention, one of the three adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The others include the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

The Joint Liaison Group was established to ensure cooperation among the three Conventions.

Currently, it also consists of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

The ultimate aim of the Convention is to stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”.

It also aims to achieve the said level within a specific period so that the ecosystem is allowed to adapt naturally to climate change while also ensuring food security and sustainable economic development.

Following its establishment, the COP1 (first Conference of Parties) was held in Berlin, COP2 was held in Geneva and the COP3 was held in Kyoto to adopt the “Kyoto Protocol” that ensures the implementation of the UNFCCC’s objective.