Climate change is a global phenomenon, both in terms of its causes and effects, and requires a multilateral response based on the collaboration of all countries. In the context of the United Nations, this multilateral response is the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Although the Convention does not include a global target for reducing or limiting greenhouse gas emissions, it does provide a first quantified target by calling on developed countries to bring their emissions, individually or jointly, to 1990 levels. However, at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 1995, the countries found this target insufficient and launched the mandate to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol. Subsequently, and given the limitations posed by the Protocol in the fight against climate change -mainly because it only establishes reduction targets for a group of developed countries- the parties negotiated and approved a global agreement in which all parties have obligations according to their respective capabilities: the Paris Agreement.
This agreement includes, for the first time in an international treaty, the objective of keeping the increase in global average temperature below 2ºC pre-industrial levels (2ºC target), a key point of scientific reference, and of making efforts to try to limit global warming to 1.5ºC.
In addition, in 2014, the Global Climate Action Agenda (GCAA) was launched to boost cooperation between governments, local authorities, the business community, investors, and civil society. It is worth highlighting the work of the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions nominated by the incoming and outgoing COP Presidency, whose job is to mobilize non-state actors in the fight against climate change through a series of initiatives.
Furthermore, the UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, whose SDG 13 is devoted to adopting measures to combat climate change.
For more information, please visit the website of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain.