02.11.2015 - With only 4 weeks left until the much anticipated COP 21, many people are still unsure about what it is exactly.
What you need to know about COP21:
·COP stands for Conference of the Parties
·It is the 21st annual session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference
· COP21 will be held in Paris this year from November 30 to December 11, 2015
· This year’s main objective is to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate for the first time through INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions)
· 146 countries have submitted INDCs, tackling nearly 90% of global emissions
· Significant meetings since the first COP in Berlin in 1995 include:
· The international political response to climate change began at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, where the ‘Rio Convention’ included the adoption of the UN Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
·“To take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”, is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, an inter-governmentally agreed set of targets for international development
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will present this year’s “Emissions Gap Report” on 6 November, including an assessment of submitted INDCs.
UNRIC’s Related Links:
• COP21
• UNFCCC
Photo Credits:
• Cartoon: UNDP / Norman Isaac
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485