Global climate action

It is well established that climate change is a global challenge, with impacts already being felt across all regions of the world. Because of its scale and urgency, this challenge cannot be addressed in isolation. This is why the EU engages in both bilateral and multilateral efforts to mobilise a global response to climate change.

UN climate convention

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992 and entering into force in 1994, becoming the cornerstone international treaty in the global fight against climate change. Its main objective is to stabilise atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) levels to prevent dangerous human interference with our global climate system. The EU and all its Member States are among the 197 Parties to the Convention.

Conference of the Parties (COP)

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the annual summit where UNFCCC member nations (known as ‘Parties’) meet to advance global action on climate change. The COP is also attended by observers, including businesses, international organisations, and civil society groups. 

In preparation of COP negotiations, the EU participates in the Bonn Climate Change Conference, where the technical aspects of climate policy and implementation are discussed.

Paris Agreement

In 2015, at COP21 in Paris, all UNFCCC Parties adopted the Paris Agreement: the first universal and legally binding global climate agreement. It aims to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

COP31

COP31 will take place in Antalya, Turkey from 9 to 20 November 2026. The EU will work to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C within reach and to scale up global climate adaptation and resilience efforts.

Related links

• COP30
  • EU at COP30
  • What did COP30 achieve?
• COP29
  • EU at COP29
  • What did COP29 achieve?
• COP28
  • EU at COP28
  • What did COP28 achieve?
• COP27
  • EU at COP27
  • What did COP7 achieve?
• COP26
  • EU at COP26
  • What did COP26 achieve?

Ministerial on Climate Action

The Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) is an annual meeting attended by ministers and high-level representatives from over 30 countries, including G20 ministers and chairs of key party groupings in the UN climate negotiations.

These meetings - held by the EU, Canada, and China since 2017 - provide a space for discussions on implementing the Paris Agreement through the promotion of ambitious climate action and the successful adoption of technical rules under the UNFCCC.

The EU will host the 10^th Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA10) in Brussels, Belgium, in June 2026.

Kyoto Protocol

Before the Paris Agreement, the world's only legally binding instrument for cutting greenhouse gas emissions was the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

The Protocol has been ratified by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties, including the EU and its member countries. However, because many major emitters are not signatories, the Kyoto Protocol only covers about 12% of global emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol’s top decision-making body is the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP). All Parties to the Protocol are represented. Governments that are not Parties attend as observers.

Other international fora

The EU and its member countries participate in international fora whose decisions or recommendations feed directly or indirectly into the UN process. These include the:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• G7 and G20
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
• International Energy Agency (IEA)

Supporting action by non-state actors

Launched at COP22, the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action aims to strengthen collaboration between governments and key stakeholders to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) set up by the UNFCCC allows non-state actors to register their climate commitments. It helps track action that can support countries in achieving their objectives under the Paris Agreement.

The EU and its member countries play an active role in promoting and sponsoring specific initiatives to both mitigate and adapt to climate change around the world.

Examples of initiatives supported by the European Commission:

• Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
• Covenant of Mayors - European Union
• Covenant of Mayors - East
• Covenant of Mayors - Sub-Saharan Africa
• Mission Innovation
• Climate & Clean Air Coalition
• Africa Renewable Energy Initiative
• InsuResilience
• NDC Partnership

International climate finance

The EU is proud to support developing economies to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The EU, its Member States and the European Investment Bank are together the biggest contributor of public climate finance to developing economies.

They are also the world’s top provider of official development assistance, with action to combat climate change being increasingly integrated into this assistance.

Documentation

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