Timeline shows key progress since the first COP in Berlin in 1995. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), the largest event on combating and adapting to climate change, begins on Monday (10/11) in Belém.
The event in Belem is the thirtieth in a series of annual meetings that began in 1995 in Berlin, Germany.
Since then, there have been some developments. The key agreement is the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), with countries committing to keep global warming below 2°C by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial levels and limit this, ideally, to 1.5°C.
However, the United Nations itself estimates that the 1.5°C target will have to be exceeded in the next decade, as greenhouse gas emissions – the main causes of global warming – are far from declining as quickly as necessary.
Even if countries fulfill their commitments, the United Nations expects the planet to warm by between 2.3 and 2.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. But if the world continues to rely on fossil fuels, the scenario could be worse, with devastating consequences for life on the planet.
See below the timeline of key climate milestones during the 30 years of the COP.
About The Author
