We send delegations of youth, educators, and multi-sector representatives to annually participate in the global UN climate negotiations: the Conference of the Parties (COP).

UNFCCC’s Conference of the Parties

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) includes 197 countries, or Parties, who are committed to preventing human interference with the Earth’s climate system and addressing climate change impacts happening now. Since 1995, the UNFCCC has hosted a COP annually to discuss and negotiate climate action commitments on a global scale.

Our Window into COP program sends representatives to observe the UN negotiations, attend side events throughout the host city, webcast back to the U.S., blog daily, and join individuals from around the world speaking truth to power on the importance of climate action.

COPs and the Paris Agreement

In 2015 at COP21, 196 countries finalized and signed the Paris Agreement – the first global climate accord that commits all signatories to climate action. The Agreement acts as an action plan for the international community to address climate change, but there is still work to be done.

In June of 2017, the Trump administration committed to withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement, leaving America as the only country not signed on to the international accord. As individual U.S. states have stepped up to announce “We Are Still In” despite the decisions of our federal government, businesses, cities, universities, tribes, and nonprofits have also signed on to work toward reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.

COP24 saw the creation of the official rulebook for implementing the Paris Agreement. The 156-page rulebook is written and agreed upon by more than 190 participating countries. These rules will dictate how countries tackle climate change action beginning in 2020 and beyond. Every participating country, whether developed or developing, is expected to follow the same standard for measuring emissions and tracking climate policies. The rulebook also expects richer countries to spell out the financial support they will offer to assist poorer nations as they navigate the clean energy transition and build resilience against natural disasters.

Classroom Resource

Use this Toolkit to prepare your students to follow the COP or learn more about international climate negotiations anytime of the year!

Climate Generation’s Delegations

Window into COP26

In November, we’re sending a multi-sector delegation of Minnesotans to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland.

COP 25

Window into COP25

This December 2–13, the United Nations 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) is taking place in Santiago de Chile. We’re sending our Youth and Policy Manager, Sarah Goodspeed, to bring the international climate negotiations to life.

Window into COP24

We sent four Minnesota business delegates to the COP24 international climate negotiations in Katowice, Poland.

Window into COP23

It takes all sectors to address climate change, and all voices must be represented at the decision-making table. We sent a multi-sector delegation of MN leaders to COP23 in 2017, representing education, law, philanthropy, youth, elected officials, and indigenous communities.

Window into Marrakech: COP22

Read the blogs of our four delegates who attended COP22 in 2016.

Window into Paris: COP21

Recognizing that educators are critical messengers of climate and energy literacy for hundreds of students each year, we selected a delegation of 10 Education Ambassadors to bring to COP21 in 2015.

COP18

COP17

COP16

Expedition Copenhagen: COP15

In 2009, Climate Generation used the metaphor of expedition in a new program to document the climate policy discussions taking place at the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.