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Reporting on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP) can be quite a challenge if you do not understand the different groups, their roles and how they work in the negotiations process. The following is intended to give you a brief introduction to some of these key players and how they coordinate during the COP process.

For most participants, especially from Pacific countries, travelling to and from the COP host country will involve air travel and multiple flights. One or a number of these flights, will likely involve travelling through other countries, especially where there are hubs for connecting flights. It is important that you are prepared.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP) venue can be quite intimidating if you don’t know where to work. Here are some helpful tips for you, tips we wished that someone had shared with us! We hope you find them useful.

COP venues are immense and the layout of each one is dependent upon the host country. Every COP is different. The areas are generally divided into what is called the Blue Zone which is for accredited delegates only, and the Green Zone which is open to the public. Within the Blue Zone there are plenary rooms, pavilion areas if the host country chooses to have them as part of their hosting, delegation offices, meeting rooms, rest areas, food courts, bathrooms and negotiation spaces.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the group of nations that have signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It commits them to act together to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system”. COP is the “supreme body” of the UNFCCC and it meets annually.