HISTORY OF THE CLIMATE TALKS

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  • Sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle challenges posed by climate change


Conference of the Parties (COP)
  • Highest decision making authority of the UNFCCC that meets annually to negotiate climate change policy


Kyoto Protocol
  • Adopted in 1993 at COP3 in Kyoto, Japan to set binding emission targets for 37 industrialized nations and the European community to reduce greenhouse case (GHG) emissions
  • The United States is the only industrialized nation that has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol

PROGRAM HISTORY

COP13
  • The ACS participated as a UN-accredited NGO for the first time in Bali, Indonesia where the Bali Roadmap was adopted (2007). 
  • This roadmap was created to establish a "post-Kyoto" Protocol at COP15 in Copenhagen, Denmark (2009).

COP14
  • The ACS was accredited but not formally represented in Poznan, Poland (2008).

COP15
  • Copenhagen saw the largest gathering of heads-of-state ever outside of the UN in New york.
  • The Copenhagen Accord was adopted to outline the future progression of the COP.

COP16
  • In recognition of the 2011 International Year of Chemistry, the American Chemical Society's (ACS) COmmittee on Environmental Improvement sponsored two student delegates to represent the Society in Cancun, Mexico. 
  • Students Leah Block and ANthony Tomaine from York College of Pennsylvania blogged for C&E News under Editor-in-Chief Rudy Baum, using social networking technologies to reach out to their peers.
  • A positive outcome was reached in Cancun as 194 parties excluding Bolivia adopted the Cancun Accord a "balanced package of decisions that set all governments more firmly on the path towards a low-emissions future and support enhanced action on climate change in the developing world." 

COP17
  • 5 student delegates were selected to attend the UN Climate Talks in Durban, South Africa.
  • The conference in Durban established a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol for parties at the conference. 

COP18
  • Four student delegates attended the talks in oil-rich Qatar.
  • The global youth population was a major influence, with numerous demonstrations aimed at policy makers to 
    encourage them to work together to quickly agree on policies that would legally bind countries 
    to mitigate their emissions.


COP19
  • Six students attended the talks in Warsaw, Poland using social media outreach to expand their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram following.
  • The conference outcomes were minimal, gearing up for negotiations at COP20 which would be used to craft and agree upon a new binding commitment at COP21 in Paris in 2015. 



COP20
  • Nine students attended the talks in Lima, Peru and focused on continuing work with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and blogging.
  • Once again, the conference was centered on preparing a draft for COP21 in Paris in December 2015.