Since the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (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.

The Arabic Climate change stories are available at the following link, http://www.irinnews.org/InDepthMain.aspx?indepthid=73&reportid=96850 which will be updated with stories on the COP 18 from Doha.