KEY STEPS
NEGOTIATIONS
FOCUS
PROCESS
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Parties & Observers
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Parties
The Convention divides countries into three main groups according to differing commitments:
Annex I
Parties include the industrialized countries that were members of the OECD (Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development) in 1992, plus countries with economies in transition (the EIT Parties),
including the Russian Federation, the Baltic States, and several Central and Eastern European States.
Annex II Parties consist of the OECD members of Annex I, but not the EIT Parties. They are
required to provide financial resources to enable developing countries to undertake emissions
reduction activities under the Convention and to help them adapt to adverse effects of climate
change. In addition, they have to "take all practicable steps" to promote the development
and transfer of environmentally friendly technologies to EIT Parties and developing countries.
Funding provided by Annex II Parties is channelled mostly through the Convention’s financial
mechanism.
Non-Annex
I Parties are mostly developing countries. Certain groups of developing countries are
recognized by the Convention as being especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change,
including countries with low-lying coastal areas and those prone to desertification and drought.
Others (such as countries that rely heavily on income from fossil fuel production and commerce) feel
more vulnerable to the potential economic impacts of climate change response measures. The Convention
emphasizes activities that promise to answer the special needs and concerns of these vulnerable
countries, such as investment, insurance and technology transfer.
The 49 Parties classified as least developed countries (LDCs) by the United Nations
are given special consideration under the Convention on account of their limited capacity to respond
to climate change and adapt to its adverse effects. Parties are urged to take full account of the
special situation of LDCs when considering funding and technology-transfer activities.
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Observer organizations
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