The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Over a decade ago, most countries joined an international treaty - the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases are inevitable. The treaty sets general goals and rules for confronting climate change, the primary goal being to prevent "dangerous" human interference with the climate system.
More recently, a number of nations approved an addition to the treaty: the Kyoto Protocol, which has more powerful (and legally binding) measures.
The UNFCCC secretariat supports all institutions involved in the climate change process, particularly the Conference of the Parties (COP), the subsidiary bodies and their Bureau.
The functioning of the Convention depends on a series of groups and agencies which operate at the centre of a lively debate.