Introduction

COP, abbreviated for Conference of Parties or Conférence des Parties in French, stands as a pivotal climate summit convening the signatory parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the culmination of each year. Its primary objective is to curtail greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ensure the implementation of commitments outlined in the landmark UNFCCC agreement forged in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Since its inception in 1995, a total of 29 COPs have been convened, each contributing to the advancement of UNFCCC objectives.

Origin of COPs

The genesis of COPs traces back to the Rio de Janeiro Convention of 1992, where nations collectively pledged to combat climate change. Ratified in 1994, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change provided the framework for annual conferences aimed at fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders. These stakeholders encompass states, alongside civil society entities such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local authorities, unions, and businesses. Despite its inception in 1992, the convention didn’t come into force until 1994, paving the way for the subsequent series of COPs. The most recent of these, COP 28, convened in the United Arab Emirates in December 2023, and COP 29, which happened in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

How the Conference of the Parties Operates

Each year, a signatory country of the UNFCCC hosts the COP, facilitating a myriad of activities geared towards devising measures to mitigate GHG emissions. These activities span conferences, symposia, debates, exhibitions, and various other forums aimed at fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge. Several seminal agreements have characterized the trajectory of COPs, notably the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, which sought to reduce GHG emissions by at least 5% among 55 industrialized nations. The landmark COP 21 in Paris in 2015 underscored the imperative of limiting global warming to within 1.5°C-2°C. For the Cop 26 held in Glasgow in 2021 committed stakeholders to the elimination of coal at the expense of less harmful fuels to the atmosphere. In 2023, Cop 28 organized in the United Arab Emirates marked by the signing of an agreement for a transition away from fossil fuels.

Conclusion 

From 1995 to 2024, which marks COP 29, progress has been made on the commitments made in favor of the climate in 1992. Dialogue is a weapon of negotiation to fight effectively against a common enemy.