Key Dates in Climate Change Negotiation Process

Report of the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee
The Heat Is On: Australia's Greenhouse Future
Table of Contents

Appendix 3

Key Dates in Climate Change Negotiation Process

YEAR OCCURRENCE
1979 First World Climate Conference
1988 Conference on the Changing Atmosphere (Toronto)
Establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC)
1990 IPCC's First Assessment Report
Establishment of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)
Second World Climate Conference
1991 INC met for the first time in February to develop the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
1992 9 May the FCCC was adopted in New York by the INC and opened for signature at the Rio Earth
Summit in Brazil
In December Australia became the ninth country to ratify the Convention
1994 21 March the FCCC entered into force having received the required 50 ratifications
1995 The INC was dissolved in February and the Conference of the Parties became the Convention's ultimate authority
First Conference of the Parties (CoP 1 - the Berlin “Climate Summit”)
December the IPCC produced the Second Assessment Report
1996 Second Conference of the Parties (CoP 2) signed the “Geneva Convention”
1997 Third Conference of the Parties (CoP 3) adopted the Kyoto Protocol
1998 The Kyoto Protocol was opened for signature
Fourth Conference of the Parties (CoP 4) adopted the “Buenos Aires Plan of Action”
1999 Fifth Conference of the Parties (CoP 5) took place in Bonn
2000 Sixth Conference of the Parties (CoP 6) to be held in November in The Hague
2005 Negotiations on new targets for 2013 and onwards to take place. Parties must show `demonstable
progress' toward 2008 – 2012 targets
2008 First five year commitment period begins