COP25

COP25
Pool Moncloa · Attribution · source
Name	Conference of the Parties 25
Date	December 2019
Location	Madrid, Spain
Convening organization	United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Participants	Parties to the UNFCCC

COP25

COP25 was the 25th session of the United Nations climate change conference convened under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in late 2019. The session assembled representatives from United States, China, India, European Union, Brazil and other Parties alongside delegates from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme, World Meteorological Organization, and Greenpeace International. Negotiators from Least Developed Countries, Alliance of Small Island States, African Union, and civil society actors including World Wildlife Fund and Sierra Club sought progress on rules established by the Paris Agreement and earlier instruments like the Kyoto Protocol.

Background

Delegates arrived amid scientific findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special reports and high-profile activism by figures such as Greta Thunberg and organizations including Extinction Rebellion and 350.org. The period followed diplomatic processes at Conference of the Parties 24 in Katowice and policy discussions at summits like the G20 Osaka summit and meetings of the OPEC and World Bank. Countries referenced commitments under the Paris Agreement and interactions with mechanisms like the Clean Development Mechanism and institutions such as the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environment Facility. Legal scholars compared pathways discussed at the session to precedents like the Montreal Protocol and debates at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

Venue and Logistics

The venue in Madrid hosted delegations from United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia, Mexico and dozens more, with logistical support from Spanish authorities including the Ministry of Ecological Transition (Spain) and municipal offices of Madrid City Council. The presidency shifted from Chile after national events, involving coordination with the United Nations Secretariat and security by Spanish law enforcement and protocols from International Civil Aviation Organization for arrivals. Civil society and observer groups operated from designated spaces alongside delegations from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries observers and delegations from World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund. Media coverage by outlets such as BBC News, The Guardian, The New York Times, and Al Jazeera reported on side events featuring speakers from Harvard University, Stanford University, Imperial College London, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Key Issues and Negotiations

Negotiations centered on rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, transparency frameworks akin to decisions from Conference of the Parties 24, implementation guidance echoing the Talanoa Dialogue, and finance commitments related to the Green Climate Fund. Parties debated corresponding adjustments and cooperative approaches involving countries like Australia, Russia, Norway, Switzerland, South Africa, and Indonesia. Topics included mitigation ambition reviews similar to processes in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C, adaptation financing referenced by Adaptation Fund delegates, and loss and damage discussions invoked by representatives of Vanuatu, Maldives, Marshall Islands, and the Caribbean Community. Non-state actors such as World Resources Institute, Climate Action Network International, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and C40 Cities participated in technical briefings.

Outcomes and Agreements

The session resulted in partial progress on transparency rules, procedural text toward Article 6 mechanisms, and reaffirmations of commitments to the Paris Agreement’s goals. Delegates adopted procedural decisions that referenced the work of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation. Elements remained unresolved on accounting for double counting involving Brazilian and Australian proposals, and on operational details affecting the Green Climate Fund replenishment and mobilization from institutions like the World Bank Group and Asian Development Bank. Statements from leaders including delegates from the European Commission and heads of state provided political framing, while research institutes such as Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and International Institute for Sustainable Development issued analyses.

Criticism and Controversy

Civil society organizations including Friends of the Earth International, 350.org, Sierra Club, and Climate Justice Alliance criticized perceived delays on Article 6 and finance for adaptation and loss and damage. Negotiators from the Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries Group publicly contested positions from United States and Brazil-aligned proposals. Editorials in The Guardian, Le Monde, El País, and The Washington Post highlighted tensions between fossil fuel interests represented by corporate delegates linked to ExxonMobil and Shell and campaigners pushing for faster ambition. Academic critiques from scholars affiliated with Oxford University, Yale University, Columbia University, and London School of Economics questioned transparency in informal consultations and the influence of trade associations including International Chamber of Commerce.

Aftermath and Impact

Following the session, national governments including Spain, Chile, United Kingdom, Germany, and France adjusted domestic policy debates with references to commitments discussed at the summit and interactions with institutions like the European Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank. The unresolved Article 6 text influenced subsequent negotiations at the Conference of the Parties 26 and consultations within forums such as the G77 and China and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Research outputs from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change authors and think tanks including World Resources Institute and Chatham House assessed implications for carbon markets, while NGOs like Greenpeace International and Friends of the Earth International mobilized continued advocacy. The session fed into public discourse alongside youth movements led by activists connected to Fridays for Future and policy initiatives in parliaments including the European Parliament.

Category:United Nations climate change conferences