First commitment period

Following the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol in 2005, the Conference of the Parties of the UN Climate Change Convention started operating as the meeting of parties (MOP) of the protocol. This body meets in a similar manner to the Conferences of the Parties...

After signing an international treaty, such as the Climate Change Convention or the Kyoto Protocol, a country has to ratify the commitment, often with the approval of its parliament or other legislature. The ratification instrument must be deposited with the UN...

Intergovernmental agreements, including protocols and amendments, are not legally valid until ratified by a certain number of countries. For the UNFCCC creation, it took 50 countries; as for ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, at least 55 countries were required...