COP and Climate Change: The Global Climate Negotiation Framework

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Context

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the decision-making body of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), formed at the Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro (1992).
The first COP (COP1) was held in Berlin, 1995, and since then, annual summits have become critical forums for coordinating global climate action.

Brief History and Major COPs

  • COP3 – Kyoto, 1997
    ➤ Adopted the Kyoto Protocol, legally binding developed countries to emission reduction targets.

  • COP15 – Copenhagen, 2009
    ➤ Recognised the need to limit global warming below 2°C, but failed to deliver a binding agreement.

  • COP21 – Paris, 2015
    ➤ Historic Paris Agreement adopted.
    ➤ Set the global target to limit warming to “well below 2°C”, pursue 1.5°C, and mandated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

  • COP26 – Glasgow, 2021
    ➤ Initiated Glasgow Climate Pact.
    ➤ Called for phasing down coal and revising NDCs yearly.

  • COP27 – Sharm el-Sheikh, 2022
    ➤ Established Loss and Damage Fund to aid vulnerable nations.
    ➤ Renewed commitments to adaptation and finance.

  • COP28 – Dubai, 2023
    ➤ First mention of “transitioning away from fossil fuels.”
    ➤ Agreed to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.
    ➤ Concluded the first Global Stocktake.

Recent COP29 – Baku, Azerbaijan (2024)

Key Outcomes:

  • New Climate Finance Goal (NCQG):
    ➤ Agreed on US$300 billion/year by 2035.
    ➤ Part of a roadmap to US$1.3 trillion/year climate finance.

  • Carbon Market Rules (Article 6):
    ➤ Advanced mechanisms for carbon credit trading under international standards.

  • Transparency and Adaptation:
    ➤ Strengthened frameworks for climate action tracking and funding adaptation.

  • Global Energy Storage Pledge:
    ➤ 1,500 GW of energy storage by 2030; support for green grids.

  • Baku-to-Belém Roadmap:
    ➤ Sets pathway to COP30 (Brazil, 2025) to operationalize these financial goals.

India’s Stance and Role

  • Called for climate justice and equity in finance.

  • Criticised the NCQG deal as insufficient and non-transparent.

  • Advocated for:

    • $1.3 trillion finance, with $600 billion as grants.

    • Grant-based, not loan-based climate finance.

    • Recognition of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR-RC).

  • Supports technology transfer, green growth, and domestic action via Mission LiFE and National Hydrogen Mission.

Key Climate Terms Explained

  • Carbon Credit:
    ➤ A tradable permit allowing emission of 1 tonne of CO₂ or equivalent. Used in carbon markets.

  • Global Stocktake:
    ➤ A 5-yearly review mechanism under the Paris Agreement to assess collective progress.

  • Loss and Damage Fund:
    ➤ Financial mechanism to compensate vulnerable nations for climate-related impacts.

  • NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal):
    ➤ Post-2025 finance target set at COP29 to replace the earlier $100 billion/year goal.

  • CBDR-RC:
    ➤ Principle that developed nations should bear more burden due to historical emissions.

Relevance for India and the Global South

  • Rising heatwaves, glacier melt, sea-level rise make climate finance vital.

  • India’s push for climate equity, technology transfer, and affordable green energy shapes negotiations.

  • Global climate diplomacy increasingly intersects with geopolitics, finance, and development rights.

Conclusion

COP summits have evolved from protocol-making to implementation tracking. COP29, dubbed the “Finance COP”, attempted to reshape climate finance architecture, but fell short of ambitious climate action.
India continues to champion a just, equitable climate regime, pushing for real support—not promises—for developing countries.
As we head toward COP30 in Brazil, the world must shift from pledges to delivery, ensuring climate action is inclusive, adequately funded, and science-based.


#ClimateAction #COP28 #NetZero

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