Welcome!
In 1992, countries agreed on an international treaty, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as a framework for international cooperation to combat climate change by limiting average global temperature increases and the resulting climate change and coping with its impacts. There are 198 countries that have ratified the Convention, called Parties to the Convention, and every year, they hold a Conference of the Parties (COP).
This course introduces the international climate change regime, its three key instruments (The UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement), and the institutional arrangements for the climate change intergovernmental process. This course focuses on UNFCCC rules of procedure regarding the negotiation process as well as the mechanism for convening the Parties through various forums and working groups, including the presidency and bureau, observers and elections, and the decision making and reporting processes.
Support climate change literacy
We want to continue our crucial journey to equip people with the skills and knowledge needed to make informed decisions, to act and to fight climate crisis.
DonateWhat will you learn?
After completing this course, you will be able to:Present the international climate change regime, including:
- the three instruments of the UN climate change regime – the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement.
- how the UNFCCC operates through the COP process and major COP accomplishments.
- the organization and administration of the annual COPs.
- The institutional arrangements for the climate change intergovernmental process
- responsibilities and operating procedures of governing, subsidiary, and other decision-making bodies.
- the process for Parties to come to a consensus on the issues under negotiations.
Course at a glance
This online course includes one online lesson with two learning modules and a quiz that take an average of two hours to be completed.Module 1: Overview of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Process
Module 2: The Negotiations and Rules of Procedure of the Intergovernmental Climate Change Process
Who is this course for?
This course is open to everyone who wishes to learn more about the UNFCCC process, including Party and non-Party stakeholders and the civil society.
Certification
Participants who successfully pass the quiz with a minimum grade of 70% within three attempts will get an official UN Climate Change certificate.
This course was developed by the UN Climate Change Secretariat.
UN CC:Learn Affiliation Programme
The course is made available on UN CC:e-Learn through the new UN CC:Learn affiliation programme, which highlights high-quality e-learning products on climate change developed by recognised institutions outside the framework of the UN CC:Learn programme / without support from the UN CC:Learn Secretariat, in accordance with specific affiliation criteria. The objective of the UN CC:Learn affiliation programme is to enhance global climate literacy through dissemination of high-level learning products that complement UN CC:Learn resources.
Photo Credit: UN Climate Change