Every December, 195 countries that have ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change gather to discuss ways to work together to achieve their goal of stabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere. These meetings (called “COPs) have become an annual global barometer on public opinion and political commitment to action on climate change.

Over the past 20 years, these meetings, their deadlines and decisions have prompted far-reaching actions on energy, climate and development in countries around the globe. Increasingly, these decisions have implications for trade relations, national security, resource management, and poverty eradication. For that reason, the meetings are attended by participants from the business, academic, development, human rights, trade union, youth, local and provincial governments and indigenous peoples’ organizations.

The UNFCCC encourages broad civil society participation, but figuring out how to make your mark on this event can be a challenge. USCAN and CAN International are here to help raise the collective voice of civil society and are happy to provide you with tools to make your own efforts count. The pages below contain informational resources and links to important sites to help get involved.

The Durban Climate Negotiations Briefing Book

Prepared by the U.S. Climate Action Network and its partner organizations, the resource makes the complexities of global negotiations simpler to understand and follow. It is designed to help climate advocates, members of the U.S. Congressional delegation, as well as reporters and editors, gain a clear understanding of the international treaty negotiating process. The briefing book provides vital background material, reports on domestic and international climate action, technical background on the key negotiating issues and other valuable information. Click here to download the entire briefing book (pdf).