About the UNFCCC
Over a decade ago, most countries joined an international treaty - the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) -to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases are inevitable. More recently, a number of nations approved an addition to the treaty: the Kyoto Protocol, which has more powerful (and legally binding) measures.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) usually meets annually for a period of two weeks. These sessions are attended by several thousand government delegates, observer organizations, and journalists. The Conference of the Parties evaluates the status of climate change and the effectiveness of the treaty. It examines the activities of member countries, particularly by reviewing national communications and emissions inventories; it considers new scientific findings; and it tries to capitalize on experience as efforts to address climate change proceed.
For more information about the UNFCCC, please check the official website.