COP 17

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol, will be held in the sunny city of Durban, South Africa, from November 28 to December 9, 2011.

What is COP17/CMP7?

What is COP?

Since the UNFCCC entered into force in 1995, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC have been meeting annually to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

The COP adopts decisions and resolutions, published in reports of the COP. Successive decisions taken by the COP make up a detailed set of rules for practical and effective implementation of the Convention.

What is CMP?

The COP serves as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, which also adopts decisions and resolutions on the implementation of its provisions.

This annual meeting is referred to as the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP).

However, Parties to the Convention that are not Parties to the Protocol are able to participate in the CMP as observers, but without the right to take decisions.

COP /CMP Presidency

The office of the Conference President rotates annually between the five United Nations (UN) regional groups. Mexico held the COP 16 / CMP 6 in 2010 and is currently the COP/CMP President.

The African Group will be the next proud host of the Conference with COP 17 / CMP 7 taking place from 28 November to 9 December 2011 in Durban, South Africa. Kenya held the Presidency of the Conference in 2006 with the COP 12 / CMP 12 in Nairobi.

Following the procedural rules of the Conference, it is customary for the COP and CMP to elect as President a minister from the host country. The President of COP 17/CMP 7 is Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.

For more information:http://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/index.html