COP Reform

This explainer introduces the debate on COP reform: how the UN climate negotiations can become more inclusive, transparent, fair and efficient. It explains why reform matters, the legal and institutional context, and the main routes to reform, from treaty amendments to COP decisions and Presidency guidance. A timeline of key episodes, from Copenhagen in 2009 to COP 30 in Belém, shows how procedural disputes have shaped the process. It then sets out the main reform challenges: unequal participation, the negotiation process, consensus and decision-making, the role of Presidencies and institutions, and conflicts of interest. It also explains how reform is addressed in the negotiations, particularly under the Arrangements for Intergovernmental Meetings (AIM), and closes with LRI’s own proposals for reform.