UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION
ON CLIMATE CHANGE
UNITED NATIONS
1992
FCCC/INFORMAL/84
GE.05-62220 (E) 200705
, UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION
ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The Parties to this Convention,
Acknowledging that change in the Earth’s climate and its adverse effects are a common
concern of humankind,
Concerned that human activities have been substantially increasing the atmospheric
concentrations of greenhouse gases, that these increases enhance the natural greenhouse effect,
and that this will result on average in an additional warming of the Earth’s surface and
atmosphere and may adversely affect natural ecosystems and humankind,
Noting that the largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse
gases has originated in developed countries, that per capita emissions in developing countries are
still relatively low and that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will
grow to meet their social and development needs,
Aware of the role and importance in terrestrial and marine ecosystems of sinks and
reservoirs of greenhouse gases,
Noting that there are many uncertainties in predictions of climate change, particularly
with regard to the timing, magnitude and regional patterns thereof,
Acknowledging that the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible
cooperation by all countries and their participation in an effective and appropriate international
response, in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities and their social and economic conditions,
Recalling the pertinent provisions of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference
on the Human Environment, adopted at Stockholm on 16 June 1972,
Recalling also that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and
the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to
their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that
activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other
States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction,
Reaffirming the principle of sovereignty of States in international cooperation to address
climate change,
Recognizing that States should enact effective environmental legislation, that
environmental standards, management objectives and priorities should reflect the environmental
and developmental context to which they apply, and that standards applied by some countries
may be inappropriate and of unwarranted economic and social cost to other countries, in
particular developing countries,
, Recalling the provisions of General Assembly resolution 44/228 of 22 December 1989
on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and resolutions 43/53
of 6 December 1988, 44/207 of 22 December 1989, 45/212 of 21 December 1990 and 46/169
of 19 December 1991 on protection of global climate for present and future generations of
mankind,
Recalling also the provisions of General Assembly resolution 44/206 of
22 December 1989 on the possible adverse effects of sea-level rise on islands and coastal
areas, particularly low-lying coastal areas and the pertinent provisions of General Assembly
resolution 44/172 of 19 December 1989 on the implementation of the Plan of Action to
Combat Desertification,
Recalling further the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, 1985,
and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1987, as adjusted and
amended on 29 June 1990,
Noting the Ministerial Declaration of the Second World Climate Conference adopted
on 7 November 1990,
Conscious of the valuable analytical work being conducted by many States on climate
change and of the important contributions of the World Meteorological Organization, the
United Nations Environment Programme and other organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system, as well as other international and intergovernmental bodies, to the
exchange of results of scientific research and the coordination of research,
Recognizing that steps required to understand and address climate change will be
environmentally, socially and economically most effective if they are based on relevant
scientific, technical and economic considerations and continually re-evaluated in the light of
new findings in these areas,
Recognizing that various actions to address climate change can be justified economically
in their own right and can also help in solving other environmental problems,
Recognizing also the need for developed countries to take immediate action in a flexible
manner on the basis of clear priorities, as a first step towards comprehensive response strategies
at the global, national and, where agreed, regional levels that take into account all greenhouse
gases, with due consideration of their relative contributions to the enhancement of the
greenhouse effect,
Recognizing further that low-lying and other small island countries, countries with
low-lying coastal, arid and semi-arid areas or areas liable to floods, drought and desertification,
and developing countries with fragile mountainous ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the
adverse effects of climate change,
Recognizing the special difficulties of those countries, especially developing countries,
whose economies are particularly dependent on fossil fuel production, use and exportation, as a
consequence of action taken on limiting greenhouse gas emissions,
-2-
ON CLIMATE CHANGE
UNITED NATIONS
1992
FCCC/INFORMAL/84
GE.05-62220 (E) 200705
, UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION
ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The Parties to this Convention,
Acknowledging that change in the Earth’s climate and its adverse effects are a common
concern of humankind,
Concerned that human activities have been substantially increasing the atmospheric
concentrations of greenhouse gases, that these increases enhance the natural greenhouse effect,
and that this will result on average in an additional warming of the Earth’s surface and
atmosphere and may adversely affect natural ecosystems and humankind,
Noting that the largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse
gases has originated in developed countries, that per capita emissions in developing countries are
still relatively low and that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will
grow to meet their social and development needs,
Aware of the role and importance in terrestrial and marine ecosystems of sinks and
reservoirs of greenhouse gases,
Noting that there are many uncertainties in predictions of climate change, particularly
with regard to the timing, magnitude and regional patterns thereof,
Acknowledging that the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible
cooperation by all countries and their participation in an effective and appropriate international
response, in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities and their social and economic conditions,
Recalling the pertinent provisions of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference
on the Human Environment, adopted at Stockholm on 16 June 1972,
Recalling also that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and
the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to
their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that
activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other
States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction,
Reaffirming the principle of sovereignty of States in international cooperation to address
climate change,
Recognizing that States should enact effective environmental legislation, that
environmental standards, management objectives and priorities should reflect the environmental
and developmental context to which they apply, and that standards applied by some countries
may be inappropriate and of unwarranted economic and social cost to other countries, in
particular developing countries,
, Recalling the provisions of General Assembly resolution 44/228 of 22 December 1989
on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and resolutions 43/53
of 6 December 1988, 44/207 of 22 December 1989, 45/212 of 21 December 1990 and 46/169
of 19 December 1991 on protection of global climate for present and future generations of
mankind,
Recalling also the provisions of General Assembly resolution 44/206 of
22 December 1989 on the possible adverse effects of sea-level rise on islands and coastal
areas, particularly low-lying coastal areas and the pertinent provisions of General Assembly
resolution 44/172 of 19 December 1989 on the implementation of the Plan of Action to
Combat Desertification,
Recalling further the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, 1985,
and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1987, as adjusted and
amended on 29 June 1990,
Noting the Ministerial Declaration of the Second World Climate Conference adopted
on 7 November 1990,
Conscious of the valuable analytical work being conducted by many States on climate
change and of the important contributions of the World Meteorological Organization, the
United Nations Environment Programme and other organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system, as well as other international and intergovernmental bodies, to the
exchange of results of scientific research and the coordination of research,
Recognizing that steps required to understand and address climate change will be
environmentally, socially and economically most effective if they are based on relevant
scientific, technical and economic considerations and continually re-evaluated in the light of
new findings in these areas,
Recognizing that various actions to address climate change can be justified economically
in their own right and can also help in solving other environmental problems,
Recognizing also the need for developed countries to take immediate action in a flexible
manner on the basis of clear priorities, as a first step towards comprehensive response strategies
at the global, national and, where agreed, regional levels that take into account all greenhouse
gases, with due consideration of their relative contributions to the enhancement of the
greenhouse effect,
Recognizing further that low-lying and other small island countries, countries with
low-lying coastal, arid and semi-arid areas or areas liable to floods, drought and desertification,
and developing countries with fragile mountainous ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the
adverse effects of climate change,
Recognizing the special difficulties of those countries, especially developing countries,
whose economies are particularly dependent on fossil fuel production, use and exportation, as a
consequence of action taken on limiting greenhouse gas emissions,
-2-
