From Rio to Antalya: 34 Years of Climate Negotiations

Andres Lihn Vial, coordinator

Andres Lihn Vial, coordinator of our Projects team, shares this overview of the history of international climate negotiations.

The history of the COPs began in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 with the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Since then, the Conferences of the Parties have been held annually, shaping an evolving international legal regime.

Debates regarding differentiated responsibilities between developed and developing countries marked the early years. COP1 in Berlin (1995) laid the groundwork for what would become the Kyoto Protocol (COP3) two years later.

Copenhagen (2009) marked a turning point. Although the expected agreements were not reached, it paved the way for the Paris Agreement (2015) at COP21. Since then, the COPs have shifted from setting goals to demanding concrete implementation.

Following COP21, key agreements include those reached in Glasgow (2021), which focused on phasing out coal; Sharm El-Sheikh (2022), where the Loss and Damage fund was established; and Dubai (2023), which saw the first Global Stocktake.

COP31 arrives at a crucial moment, when the credibility of climate multilateralism hinges on translating climate pledges into tangible results.