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A statement from the World Resources Institute honoring the life and career of Rafe Pomerance, a climate action pioneer who influenced policy and public awareness over five decades.

The Climate Negotiations Glossary provides concise definitions of key terms, acronyms, and procedural mechanisms used within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and related agreements, including the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the evolution of global climate governance from the 1979 World Climate Conference to the 2015 Paris Agreement. It examines the shift from 'top-down' prescriptive instruments like the Kyoto Protocol to 'bottom-up' participatory frameworks, highlighting the ongoing tension between universal participation and the equitable distribution of responsibilities based on historical emissions and national capacities.

This research paper provides estimates of the potential supply of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) issued under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for emission reductions occurring between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2020, specifically to inform Article 6 negotiations at the UNFCCC regarding their transition toward Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This research paper, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute on behalf of the German Environment Agency, provides a comparative analysis of the market mechanisms established under the Kyoto Protocol and the new provisions introduced in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It examines the differences in purpose, governance, and accounting between the two frameworks to identify lessons for the operationalization of the Paris Agreement's cooperative approaches and crediting mechanisms.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the environmental integrity of Joint Implementation (JI) during the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period (2008–2012). The analysis finds that JI likely increased global greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 600 million tCO2e due to widespread issues with additionality, overcrediting, and a lack of international oversight under 'Track 1' procedures.

This research paper examines the net emissions impact of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), focusing on whether it achieves a net decrease in global greenhouse gas emissions or merely shifts the location of reductions.

This urgent appeal, submitted by several NGOs to United Nations Special Rapporteurs, alleges that the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam project in western Panama is causing imminent forced evictions of indigenous Ngöbe families. The document argues that the State of Panama, as well as financing states Germany and the Netherlands and member states of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), are violating international human rights law by failing to obtain free, prior, and informed consent and by threatening the Ngöbe's rights to housing, food, water, culture, and education.

This research paper describes the activities and lessons learned by the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) in supporting negotiators from developing countries during international climate change negotiations, specifically focusing on the implementation of REDD+.

The Durban Declaration on Climate and Health is a statement signed on December 4, 2011, by health professionals from over 30 countries during the UNFCCC's 17th Conference of the Parties. It asserts that climate change is a major global health threat and calls on national delegations to integrate public health objectives into climate agreements and transition away from fossil fuels.

This research paper, written by a UNFCCC negotiator from Ethiopia, examines the challenges faced by new negotiators and proposes strategies to improve consensus-building within the UNFCCC process. The author emphasizes the need for capacity building, transparency, and the availability of data to foster trust and facilitate multilateral agreements on climate change.

This commentary analyzes the outcomes of the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Doha, Qatar.

This resource book, published by the Government of Nepal's Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology in November 2012, serves as a guide for climate change negotiators. It details the institutional and procedural framework of the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, analyzes the specific climate vulnerabilities of Nepal—particularly in its mountain regions—and outlines national policy responses, including the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and REDD+ initiatives. The document emphasizes the need for increased international climate finance, technology transfer, and gender-sensitive policies to support Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues against the expansion of carbon markets at the COP in Durban, characterizing them as a 'false solution' to the climate crisis. The document contends that carbon trading allows industrialized nations to avoid domestic emission reductions by purchasing offsets, thereby perpetuating dependence on fossil fuels and harming communities in the Global South.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute examines the need for harmonized accounting rules for developed country (Annex I) emissions reduction pledges in a post-2012 climate agreement. It argues that without consistent rules for greenhouse gas coverage, land use (LULUCF), offsets, and surplus allowances, it will be impossible to accurately assess the ambition of national pledges or track global progress toward temperature targets.

This briefing from Friends of the Earth analyzes the geopolitical dynamics surrounding the October 2010 UN climate negotiations in Tianjin, China. It argues that the lack of domestic climate legislation in the United States has eroded its international bargaining power, potentially leading other nations to pursue mitigation efforts without U.S. involvement and increasing the leverage of developing countries.

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International argues that tree plantations are monoculture agricultural systems, not forests, and that they cause significant biological, social, and cultural damage globally. The document criticizes the use of plantations as carbon sinks under the Kyoto Protocol and denounces the role of international organizations like the FAO in legitimizing these systems.

This research paper, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) for the UN High Level Task Force (HLTF), examines the intersection of the right to development and climate change. It focuses specifically on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, evaluating whether its design and implementation align with human rights-based criteria for development. The author argues that while the CDM mobilizes private funds for mitigation, it suffers from governance gaps, inequitable geographical distribution of projects, and a lack of procedural safeguards for affected communities.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides an overview of the status of international climate change negotiations as of September 2009, focusing on the outcomes of the Bonn II and Bonn III talks. It details the progress and divergences across the four pillars of the Bali Action Plan—mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing—as member countries of the UNFCCC worked toward a post-2012 emission reduction regime to be adopted at COP 15 in Copenhagen.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of international carbon market mechanisms within the context of negotiations for a post-2012 climate change agreement. It reviews the existing Kyoto Protocol instruments—International Emissions Trading (IET), Joint Implementation (JI), and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)—and explores potential expansions or new mechanisms, such as sectoral crediting and REDD, to enhance cost-effectiveness and engage developing countries in mitigation efforts.