Building Consensus in the UNFCCC

This guide, written by Antonio G. M. La Viña and Cecilia Therese T. Guiao for the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, provides an introduction to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. It focuses on the mechanics of consensus-building, offering strategic advice for new negotiators and facilitators to navigate the complex human and political interactions required to reach international agreements.

• In the context of the UNFCCC and other multilateral environmental agreements, consensus is defined as the absence of formal objections rather than a general agreement or a majority judgment. Decisions are adopted when no party raises a formal objection, though parties typically attempt to resolve known objections in private 'huddles' before reaching the plenary session.
• The UNFCCC process is characterized by a significant 'ambition gap' between current mitigation pledges and the pathways needed to limit global temperature increases to 2°C or 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. To address this, the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) was established to develop a legal instrument or agreed outcome applicable to all Parties by 2015.
• Effective negotiation requires a balance between advocating for national interests and recognizing the needs of other countries. Negotiators are advised to identify their 'red lines' while remaining open to compromises that serve the greater needs of other parties to build goodwill.
• Facilitators play a critical role in moving negotiations forward by acting as mediators and building trust. They are encouraged to use bilateral talks and small group discussions to resolve specific topics transparently, avoiding pressure on parties and preventing the recurrence of past conflicts.
• The UNFCCC structure includes several bodies to support the Conference of the Parties (COP), which is the supreme body. These include the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) for scientific information and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) for assessing the Convention's effective implementation.
• Parties often utilize negotiating blocs to increase their leverage and ensure shared interests are emphasized. Major blocs include the G77&China (representing 131 developing countries), the European Union (27 states), the Umbrella Group (including the USA, Japan, and Canada), and the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG).

APA

La Viña, A. G. M., & Guiao, C. T. T. (2013). Building Consensus in the UNFCCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Tony-La-Vina-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf

Chicago

La Viña, Antonio G. M., and Cecilia Therese T. Guiao. Building Consensus in the UNFCCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Tony-La-Vina-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{lavia2013building, author = {La Viña, Antonio G. M. and Guiao, Cecilia Therese T.}, title = {{Building Consensus in the UNFCCC}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Tony-La-Vina-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }