Chapter 06 · Governance & regulationRegulation & International Instruments
Annex II Party
Definition
A Party listed in Annex II of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: the OECD members of Annex I, excluding the economies in transition. Annex II Parties must provide new and additional financial resources to meet the agreed costs incurred by developing countries, assist particularly vulnerable countries with adaptation costs, and take all practicable steps to promote and finance technology transfer.
References
Annex II composition (OECD members of Annex I, excluding EITs); finance and technology-transfer duties; channelling via the financial mechanism.
Convention Article 4(3)–4(5) obligations; argument that Paris Article 9 "developed country Parties" refers to Annex II.
Overview
What it means
Annex II is the Convention's primary finance-obligation category, channelling support mostly through the Convention's financial mechanism (the Global Environment Facility and later the Green Climate Fund). The USD 100 billion annual climate finance goal, agreed in 2009, tracked the collective effort of developed countries in this spirit.
How it is used
Annex II membership determines who is expected to pay in Convention processes. Under the Paris Agreement, Article 9 assigns finance duties to "developed country Parties", and legal analysis suggests this largely continues the Annex II group — though the mapping is contested and the category of contributors is politically evolving.
Why it matters
Climate finance adequacy is one of the most contentious issues in international climate policy. Annex II defines the formal duty-bearers, making the category central to negotiations over the new collective quantified goal on finance and to accountability for past commitments.