Orte der UN-Klimakonferenzen - von Bali bis Warschau

Expectation & analysis papers for the UN climate conferences (COP)

The first UN Climate Conference (Conference of the Parties, COP) convened in 1995 in Berlin. Germanwatch was there – and has continued to participate ever since. Since then, we have accompanied the international negotiations with our background papers, analyzed the challenges, and assessed the outcomes. What was negotiated in Kyoto, Katowice, or Copenhagen? What decisions were made in Bonn, Buenos Aires, or Bali? Which decisions were postponed? On this page, you will find a compilation of all the expectation and final papers we have published over the years.

Focus pages of the UN climate conferences

2026: COP31 in Antalya/Turkey

2025: COP30 in Belém/Brazil

2024: COP29 in Baku/Azerbaijan

2023: COP28 in Dubai

2022: COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh

2021: COP26 in Glasgow/UK

2019: COP25 in Madrid/Spain

2018: COP24 in Katowice/Poland

2017: COP23 in Bonn/Germany

2016: COP22 in Marrakech/Marokko

2015: COP21 in Paris/France

2014: COP20 in Lima/Peru

Archive: Background papers from past UN climate conferences

Germanwatch has accompanied all UN climate conferences for many decades with information-rich background papers.
An overview of all publications can be found here >>.

Overview of Documents (Chronologically Descending)

Climat policy in a globalised world

International climate co-operation Background Paper 29.11.2023

Climate policy in a polarised world

We take a look at the geopolitical situation providing the frame for the UN climate talks COP28 in Dubai and identify the most important topics for the negotiations. We also outline what we expect COP28 to deliver, in terms of decisions that mitigate climate change, build resilience and provide finance for the people who need it.

Cover page

UN climate conferences International climate co-operation Background Paper 24. October 2022

International Climate Policy in Times of Geopolitical Challenge

This background paper provides an overview of the most important negotiation topics of COP27, which will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6 to 18 November. There is no doubt that the impact of Russia's war against Ukraine will be the dominant topic of this year's global climate conference. At the same time, participants should be aware that the impacts of climate change have no regard for the geopolitical situation.

Inclusive, safe and ambitious? The Glasgow Climate Summit in times of the Corona Pandemic

UN climate conferences Background Paper 18. October 2021

Inclusive, safe and ambitious? The Glasgow Climate Summit in times of the Corona Pandemic

COP26 is often considered the most important since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015. Its context underlines the urgency: In the summer of 2021, people across the globe experienced extreme weather events and their consequences. The climate summit in Glasgow – in conjunction with the G20 summit shortly before – holds the potential to significantly accelerate climate protection efforts worldwide.

Cover Hintergrundpapier COP25

UN climate conferences Background Paper 18.11.2019

„Time to act“: Expectations of the chilean COP25 in Madrid

Under the motto "Time to act", the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will take place from 2 to 13 December 2019 in Madrid, Spain, under Chile's presidency. After all, it is finally time for action in the logic of the UN negotiations. Following the decisions of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 and its implementation rules last year, nothing stands in the way of decisive action.

Implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement adopted

Dealing with the impacts of climate change Background Paper 17. April 2019

Implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement adopted

The so called rulebook agreed at the Climate Summit in Katowice, Poland (COP24) in December 2018 provides a solid technical basis for the global implementation of the Paris Climate Convention. To avert the climate crisis, however, it is essential that all states show significantly more political will to implement the agreement swiftly. In this follow-up paper, we present the most important decisions, above all on the elements of the implementation guidelines and - where relevant - the political compromises between the states on them. We also analyse where we consider the rules to be robust enough - and where not.

Cover COP24 Vorbereitungspapier

UN climate conferences Background Paper 20.11.2018

Addressing the 1,5°C challenge: Enhanced climate action, predictable finance, strong implementation guidelines

The 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) will be held from 2 to 14 December 2018 in Katowice, Poland. The task for this summit is to show that, even with political headwinds, the international community is able to respond to the increased urgency of the climate crisis. With a package of three decisions, COP24 will be a success. In this Background Paper, Germanwatch sums up its expectations towards COP24.

Cover Briefing Paper Durban

UN climate conferences Background Paper 1. December 2011

An Insufficient Breakthrough

The expectations towards the UN climate summit in Durban were low. This briefing paper analyses and assesses key discussions and results of the climate summit in Durban and considers next steps.

UN climate conferences Background Paper 1. November 2010

Germanwatch Briefing on the climate summit in Cancún 2010

Up to the climate summit in Copenhagen, international climate policy followed the strategy to achieve a "big bang" in the form of an international climate agreement covering the commitment period until 2020. At least for the time being, the window of opportunity for such an approach has closed after the moderate results of Copenhagen and the recent political developments in the US.

Contact persons

Christoph Bals

Co-CEO and Chief Policy Officer until December 31, 2026

Rixa Schwarz

Senior Advisor – Climate and Development – India