Governance & Policy
UNFCCC
Definition
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is a treaty adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and in force since 1994, with near-universal membership. It sets the ultimate objective of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent dangerous interference with the climate system, and provides the institutions — including the annual Conference of the Parties — under which the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement were negotiated.
References
Overview
What it means
It is the constitutional layer of global climate governance: "UNFCCC" describes both the treaty and the process that hosts climate negotiations.
How it is used
Negotiators reference its principles, especially common but differentiated responsibilities; observers track COP decisions; its secretariat runs reporting and review processes.
Why it matters
Every major climate instrument and much national climate law traces back to this convention and the goals it set.
Review questions
What source or framework gives the term authority? What boundary or role is being described? What evidence would a reviewer need before relying on the term?