UN Climate Change Conference
COP
The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — the only forum where almost every country on earth negotiates the same text, by consensus.
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All analysis →What COP is
COP is the decision-making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, agreed at Rio in 1992. Nearly two hundred parties attend, and decisions are taken by consensus — which means, in practice, that any one country can hold up the whole conference, and frequently does.
That structure explains both the frustration COP generates and its significance. The Paris Agreement at COP21 in 2015 and the Glasgow Climate Pact at COP26 were possible only because every party signed up. Nothing else in international climate diplomacy carries that weight, and nothing else takes as long.
The presidency rotates between five UN regional groups. The host country's president or lead minister chairs the negotiations and is responsible for the cover decision — the document that determines what the conference is remembered for.
COP31 · November 2026
Antalya, Türkiye — run from two capitals
Türkiye hosts COP31 in Antalya in November 2026 and holds the formal presidency, including a World Leaders Summit. Australia chairs the negotiations, with authority over draft texts and the cover decision.
It is the first time in the history of the UNFCCC that the core responsibilities of a COP have been deliberately divided between two countries — the compromise that ended a prolonged standoff between the two bids. The pre-COP will be held in the Pacific, in Fiji and Tuvalu.
Whether a split presidency helps or hinders a process that runs on consensus is the open question of the year.
Recent conferences
| Conference | Host | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| COP26 · 2021 | Glasgow, United Kingdom | Glasgow Climate Pact |
| COP27 · 2022 | Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt | Loss and damage fund agreed |
| COP28 · 2023 | Dubai, UAE | First global stocktake |
| COP29 · 2024 | Baku, Azerbaijan | New climate finance goal |
| COP30 · 2025 | Belém, Brazil | First COP in the Amazon |
| COP31 · 2026 | Antalya, Türkiye — Australia chairing | November 2026 |
In Pictures
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Our COP record
Group of Nations has published COP titles including the COP27 Egypt and COP28 UAE Global Briefing Report Review, and the APEC Leaders & CEO Summit review featuring COP26.
Summit alerts
Know what is being published, before it is published.
A short note ahead of each summit — the edition in production, the deadline for inclusion, and what the presidency has put on the agenda. No more than one a month.