COP Conferences (1995–2025): Full List of UN Climate Change Summits and Key Outcomes

The Conference of the Parties (COP) serves as the supreme decision-making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Every country that has signed the Convention, known as “Parties”, takes part in these meetings. The main goal is simple yet vital: to assess how nations are performing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to make decisions that ensure the effective implementation of the Convention.

At each COP, member countries review reports on national emissions and climate actions, discuss progress, and adopt new measures to strengthen climate governance. The COP also handles administrative and institutional arrangements to ensure the Convention’s objectives are met globally.

How did the COP start, and how often does it meet?

The first COP meeting was held in Berlin, Germany, in March 1995. Since then, COP sessions have been organized every year, unless decided otherwise by the Parties. These meetings are hosted either in Bonn, Germany—home to the UNFCCC Secretariat—or by a country that volunteers to host.

The presidency of the COP rotates among the five recognized UN regions:

• Africa
• Asia
• Latin America and the Caribbean
• Central and Eastern Europe
• Western Europe and Others

This rotation also often influences where the sessions are held. For instance, recent meetings have taken place in Africa (Egypt, 2022), Asia (UAE, 2023), and Europe (Poland, 2018).

What are the key tasks of the COP?

A major task of the COP is to review national climate reports and emission inventories submitted by countries. These documents show what each nation is doing to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change impacts. Based on these, the COP assesses progress toward the Convention’s ultimate objective—stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent dangerous interference with the climate system.

The COP also serves as a platform for new agreements and frameworks, such as the historic Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015), which remain crucial to global climate action.

List of COP Conferences (1995–2025)

Here’s a look at where each COP took place since 1995:

What Makes COP30 in Brazil So Significant?

The upcoming COP30, scheduled for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, will mark a major milestone—it’s the 30th global climate summit since the UNFCCC’s creation. The choice of Brazil, a country with vast rainforests and rich biodiversity, underscores the urgency of protecting ecosystems central to global climate stability.

At COP30, leaders will revisit commitments made in previous conferences and evaluate whether countries are on track to meet net-zero emission goals. The summit is expected to emphasize:

• Collective climate action, since greenhouse gases know no borders.
• Support for developing nations, especially those facing rising seas and extreme weather.
• Stronger adaptation and financing mechanisms to implement climate promises effectively.

By the time COP30 takes place, twenty-nine earlier COP meetings will have set the foundation through goals, guidelines, and pledges for climate action. The challenge now is turning those commitments into measurable, real-world results.