Reforming the UN climate governance system for an implementation context

The document assesses the UN climate regime's transition to the 'implementation era' following the completion of the Paris Agreement rulebook. It identifies systemic inefficiencies, including a predominance of procedural decisions (87%) over substantive ones, overlapping mandates among 17 constituted bodies, and significant funding gaps for adaptation. The authors argue that the regime is hindered by a de facto veto system based on consensus and the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists. Key recommendations include adopting formal voting rules, closing the Kyoto Protocol's remaining structures to save an estimated €62 million over five years, and operationalizing new governance platforms like a UN Climate Council. The brief also emphasizes the need to address structural drivers of the crisis, such as overconsumption and corporate impunity, while leveraging the 2025 ICJ Advisory Opinion to strengthen legal accountability for both states and non-state actors.

• The UN climate regime's decision-making is overwhelmingly administrative; a systematic review of decisions from 2022 to 2024 shows that 87% were procedural, while substantive decisions averaged only 12.9%.
• The institutional infrastructure suffers from a lack of coordination and overlapping mandates among its 17 constituted bodies and 3 operational entities of the Financial Mechanism, often resulting in parallel, un-articulated efforts.
• Climate finance remains a critical bottleneck, with 55% of funds provided as loans and only 28% allocated to adaptation, while less than 1% of climate aid reaches Indigenous Peoples.
• The Kyoto Protocol (KP) lacks a sunset clause, and formally closing its remaining structures, such as the Compliance Committee and the CDM Executive Board, could save more than €62 million over the next five years.
• The 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion strengthens the legal weight of the Paris Agreement by recognizing that certain COP/CMA decisions may create legally binding obligations and that states have a duty of due diligence to regulate corporate activities driving emissions.
• The influence of fossil fuel interests on the governance process is significant, with over 2,400 oil lobbyists attending COP28 and recent presidencies being used to expand national fossil fuel agendas.
• The current consensus-based decision-making mechanism often acts as a veto, hindering ambitious and urgent decisions; the authors recommend adopting formal voting rules, such as a three-fourths majority.
• The COP30 Presidency has proposed several new mechanisms to accelerate implementation, including a UN Climate Council, an Emergency Platform for vulnerable countries, and a Global Ethical Stocktake to address the crisis's root values.

APA

Carbajal, A. L., Buitrago, M. F., Vargas, P. E., & Daza-Niño, N. (2025). Reforming the UN climate governance system for an implementation context. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251028-PB-Reforma.pdf

Chicago

Carbajal, Alejandra López, Maritza Florián Buitrago, Pamela Escobar Vargas, and Natalia Daza-Niño. Reforming the UN climate governance system for an implementation context. Transforma, 2025. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251028-PB-Reforma.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Carbajal |first1=Alejandra López |last2=Buitrago |first2=Maritza Florián |last3=Vargas |first3=Pamela Escobar |last4=Daza-Niño |first4=Natalia |title=Reforming the UN climate governance system for an implementation context |publisher=Transforma |date=October 2025 |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251028-PB-Reforma.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carbajal2025reforming, author = {Carbajal, Alejandra López and Buitrago, Maritza Florián and Vargas, Pamela Escobar and Daza-Niño, Natalia}, title = {{Reforming the UN climate governance system for an implementation context}}, institution = {Transforma}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251028-PB-Reforma.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }