The ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. To that end, greenhouse gas concentrations must be stabilized in the atmosphere. While developed countries need to take the lead, it is clear that the climate will benefit from actions around the world. The provision of financial, technological and capacity-building support to developing countries, to support them to enhance their national action, will play a key role in this regard.

Consistent with this objective, COP 23 noted the importance of implementing ambitious climate actions before 2020. It also recognized the importance of considering and raising the visibility of such efforts. In this context, the COP decided to hold stocktakes on pre-2020 implementation and ambition in 2018 and 2019. It also invited Parties to submit, by 1 May 2018, additional information on efforts to enhance climate action before 2020. The submissions are to be made available here.

The Talanoa Dialogue was launched in January 2018, together with an online portal that will allow Parties and Non-Party stakeholders to provide their inputs on three general topics: "Where are we?", "Where do we want to go?", "How do we get there?". The portal is accessible here.

In accordance with decision 1/CP.23, paragraph 16, the efforts of Parties in relation to action and support in the pre-2020 period will also be considered as an element of the Talanoa Dialogue.

View an interactive world map showing quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets for all developed countries and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions by developing countries. The map displays information contained in the corresponding official documents pertaining to both developed countries and developing countries.

In 2009 and 2010, the climate change negotiations continued to address the urgent need to reduce emissions. In line with their leadership role, industrialized countries committed to implementing quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020.

It was agreed that industrialized countries will increase the regular reporting of progress towards these targets by continuing to submit detailed annual inventories of greenhouse gas emissions and by reporting on the progress towards achieving their emission reduction targets every two years. The guidelines for strengthened reporting and review have been developed and adopted. Both reporting and international assessment and review began in 2014.

At the same time Parties to the Kyoto Protocol engaged in negotiations on the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2013-2020). These negotiations resulted in adoption, in accordance with Articles 20 and 21 of the Kyoto Protocol, of an amendment to the Protocol by decision 1/CMP.8. This amendment is known as the Doha amendment and includes quantified emission limitation or reduction commitments under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol by several developed countries assuming commitments for this period.

During the first commitment period (2008-2012), 37 industrialized countries and the European Community committed to reduce GHG emissions to an average of five percent against 1990 levels. During the second commitment period (2013-2020), Parties committed to reduce GHG emissions by at least 18 percent below 1990; however, the composition of Parties in the second commitment period is different from the first.

From 2009, the climate change negotiations opened up an unprecedented opportunity for all developing countries to join global efforts to contribute towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Developing countries agreed to craft Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) that are in line with their national development objectives. Through NAMAs, developing countries aim to reduce their emissions below business as usual by 2020.

The Conference of the Parties at its sixteenth session decided to set up a registry to record NAMAs. Countries that are willing to support NAMA initiatives can enter the details of that support in the registry, thereby enabling developing countries in need of support to be matched with relevant offers. More information is available on the NAMA Registry and the NAMA Registry Database.

The COP, by decision 1/CP.17, resolved to strengthen, in the period 2016-2020, the existing technical examination process on mitigation. The technical examination process explores high-potential mitigation policies, practices and technologies with significant sustainable development co-benefits that could increase the mitigation ambition of pre-2020 climate action.