The Unite Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change
The
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC
or
FCCC) is an international
environmental
treaty
produced at the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally
known as the
Earth
Summit, held in
Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The treaty is aimed at reducing emissions of
greenhouse gas in order to combat
global
warming.
The treaty as originally framed set
no mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual nations and
contained no enforcement provisions; it is therefore considered legally
non-binding.
Rather, the treaty included
provisions for updates (called "protocols") that would set mandatory emission
limits. The principal update is the
Kyoto
Protocol, which has become much better known than the UNFCCC itself.
The FCCC was opened for signature
on
May 9,
1992.
It entered into force on
March 21,
1994. Its stated objective is "'to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in
the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the climate system'".
One of its first achievements was
to establish a span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">national
greenhouse gas inventory, as a count of
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. Accounts must be regularly
submitted by signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change.
The UNFCCC is also
the name of the
United Nations Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the
Convention, with offices in
Haus
Carstanjen,
Bonn,
Germany.
Since 2006 the head of the secretariat has been Yvo de Boer.
|
© Carillon Group