Countries are gathered in Marrakesh, Morocco, for the twenty-second Conference of the Parties meeting on climate change from 7-18 November.

In Paris last year, countries agreed on a legally-binding deal to curb the global temperature rise compared to pre-industrial times to two degrees Celsius by the end of the century, and to “pursue efforts” for the rise to be limited to 1.5 degrees.

Representatives are now discussing how to translate the Paris Agreement – which entered into force on 4 November - into reality on the ground with more detailed plans for achieving national pledges.

Read about UN Environment’s Emission Gap report in the first story in this newsletter, revealing the difference between the global temperature rise we are currently on track for and the emission cuts needed to avoid the most severe effects of climate change.

COPs are held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In 1998, UN Environment and the World Meteorological Organisation set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, providing scientific information considered by the UNFCCC.

For more information please contact isabelle.valentiny@unep.org