“Next steps” in the climate negotiations concerning the Paris Agreement

All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of this information at the time the advice was produced (please refer to the date produced below). However, the materials have been prepared for informational purposes only and may have been superseded by more recent developments. They do not constitute formal legal advice or create a lawyer-client relationship. You should seek legal advice to take account of your own interests. To the extent permitted any liability is excluded. Those consulting the database may wish to contact LRI for clarifications and an updated analysis.

Date produced: 01/03/2016

In Paris, on 12 December 2016, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted the Paris Agreement with accompanying COP decisions. The Paris Agreement outlines a broad framework for climate action that requires significant further work by the Parties to develop the envisaged processes, structures and mechanisms.

The attached table provides an overview of the different work strands in preparation for the entry into force of the Agreement. It lists elements of the work programme as contained in the COP decision or the Agreement, indicates the body or bodies mandated to undertake an activity, and the anticipated timeframe for completion. In most cases the task (e.g. developing modalities) requires a subsequent formal decision by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) at its first session.