COP Climate Glossary
Climate terminology can sometimes be intimidating if you’ve not come across it before – if you’re feeling unsure, here is a handy guide to some of the most common climate terms and acronyms!
B
Baku, Azerbaijan
Where COP29 is being held.
Bonn Conference
Each year, the June Climate Meetings are held in Bonn, Germany and serve as a midpoint between the annual COP meetings. They are also known as the meeting of the Subsidiary Bodies – Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) – this year’s Bonn Conference was also known as SB60.
C
CCC
The Climate Change Committee is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Their purpose is to advise the UK government on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Professor Piers Forster, Director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures, is the interim chair!
COP29
COP stands for Conference Of the Parties. Since 1995, governments all over the world have met every year to discuss how they can respond to global climate change, so this year will be the 29th meeting. We have a video on our YouTube channel that explains more!
COY19
Conference of the Youth is an annual gathering of young people from all over the world who are passionate about climate change and environmental topics. This year is their 19th meeting.
D
DEFRA
UK Government’s Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs.
Delegation
Delegate is the general term for any person attending COP. Our delegation is the group from the University of Leeds who are attending COP29.
G
GHGs
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) are gases in the earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. These include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O).
Global North and Global South
The most affluent countries of the world, also referred to as the ‘Global North’, are responsible for around half of all emissions since the Industrial Revolution. Less affluent countries, often located in the ‘Global South’, have contributed far less to global warming and had a less equal share in the direct benefits of fossil fuel use, including energy consumption. While these terms are not perfect and can oversimplify complex social, economic, and political realities, they serve as shorthand to distinguish between historically industrialised nations (often in the Northern Hemisphere) and countries that have faced colonial exploitation and continue to bear the burdens of economic and environmental injustice.
Greening
The process of of beginning to pay attention to the protection of the natural environment and becoming more active about protecting the environment.
I
IPCC
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was created to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks.
J
Just Transition
Moving towards an economy that is more sustainable and better for the planet in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned. This includes creating decent work opportunities and making sure no one is left behind or disaffected.
L
(Climate change) Litigation
Litigation is the process of taking legal action and has long been an important tool to force companies and governments to act on environmental matters and to hold them to account. Climate litigation has proved an effective strategy for boosting climate action and was identified in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report as one of several important new avenues through which climate policy is being shaped around the world.
Loss and Damage
Loss and damage describes a policy area intended to address harms to people, property, places, and cultures affected by the results of climate change.
M
Mitigation
Mitigating climate change means reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
N
NAP
The National Adaptation Programme sets the actions that government and others will take to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the UK. The Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) was published in 2023 and will take us up to 2028.
NCQG
The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance is one of the main focuses of COP29. The new finance goal will channel greater funds toward urgently needed climate action in developing countries. It will support implementation of low-carbon, climate resilient solutions in energy, transport, agriculture and other vital systems.
NDCs
Nationally Determined Contributions are the centre of the Paris Agreement and are commitments that countries make to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
NGO
Non-Governmental Organisations – typically nonprofit entities.
O
Observer Status
University of Leeds is an official observer for the UNFCCC which means we can apply to send a delegation to COP and Bonn conferences. Our delegation can access events and activities in the Green Zone (managed by the host country’s government and open to the general public) and the Blue Zone (UN-managed space which hosts the negotiations).
P
Paris Agreement
A legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 Parties at COP21 (in 2015) with a goal to limit the global temperature increase to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
R
RINGO
The Research and Independent Non-Governmental Organisations, which is one of the nine constituencies to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
S
SDGs
There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals that were adopted by all United Nations members in 2015. The aim of these global goals is “peace and prosperity for people and the planet” – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.
Subsidiary Bodies
Set up to assist the governing bodies (such as the negotiators at COP), the subsidiary bodies offer information and advice, as well as reviewing and assessing work. The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) advise on scientific and technological matters, and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) review implementation of the Paris Agreement and other UNFCCC work.
U
UN
The United Nations (UN) is a diplomatic and political international organization with the intended purpose of maintaining international peace and security. It was established in 1945 and is currently made up of 193 member states around the world.
UNEP
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global authority on the environment and work with governments, civil society, the private sector and UN entities.
UNFCCC
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established in 1994 and today has near-universal membership.
Y
YOUNGO
A global network of children and youth activists (up to 35 years) who contribute to shaping the intergovernmental climate change policies and strive to empower youth to formally bring their voices to the UNFCCC processes.
Z
(Blue and Green) Zones
COP is split into two main zones: Blue and Green. The Blue Zone is where the formal negotiations take place, it’s managed by the UN and open to accredited delegates only. The Green Zone has a less restrictive admission policy to non-accredited delegates such as businesses, the public, youth groups, civil society, academia, and artists. This space offers a platform for the private sector to showcase their contributions to the global climate challenge.