COP15

Definition

COP15, or the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was a significant international climate summit held in 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It aimed to create a new global agreement to address climate change and build upon the Kyoto Protocol, addressing emissions reductions and climate financing among participating nations.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. COP15 was attended by representatives from nearly 200 countries and included leaders like Barack Obama, Hu Jintao, and Angela Merkel.
2. The conference aimed for a binding agreement on climate change, but ultimately resulted in the Copenhagen Accord, which was not legally binding.
3. COP15 faced significant criticism for its lack of transparency and perceived failure to achieve meaningful commitments from major emitting countries.
4. The conference highlighted the need for developed nations to provide financial and technological support to developing countries for climate adaptation and mitigation.
5. Despite its shortcomings, COP15 laid the groundwork for future negotiations and set the stage for subsequent conferences, including COP21, which resulted in the Paris Agreement.

Review Questions

• What were the main goals of COP15 and how did they compare to the outcomes achieved?
  • The primary goals of COP15 were to establish a comprehensive global agreement on climate change that would lead to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and provide financial support for developing nations. However, the outcomes were largely seen as disappointing, culminating in the Copenhagen Accord, which did not create legally binding commitments. This gap between ambitious goals and limited results highlighted challenges in international cooperation on climate issues.
• Discuss the criticisms faced by COP15 during its proceedings and their implications for future climate negotiations.
  • COP15 faced multiple criticisms, including concerns over its transparency, lack of inclusivity in negotiations, and the perception that major emitting nations were not making sufficient commitments. These issues created distrust among developing countries and civil society groups, leading to protests during the summit. The discontent expressed during COP15 emphasized the need for more inclusive processes in future climate negotiations, setting important lessons for subsequent summits.
• Evaluate the long-term significance of COP15 in shaping global climate policy and its influence on subsequent conferences.
  • Despite its immediate shortcomings, COP15 was significant as it highlighted the complexities of international climate negotiations and set a precedent for future discussions. The failure to achieve a binding agreement prompted a reevaluation of strategies used in climate diplomacy. This experience influenced subsequent conferences, particularly COP21 in Paris, where negotiators focused on building consensus through more flexible agreements that allowed countries to set their own targets while ensuring accountability through international frameworks.

Related terms

Kyoto Protocol:

An international treaty that commits its parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the premise that global warming exists and human-made CO2 emissions have caused it.

UNFCCC:

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international environmental treaty aimed at combating climate change and its impacts by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

Green Climate Fund: A fund established to assist developing countries in their efforts to respond to climate change, aiming to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.