Non-admitted NGOs and IGOs

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Admission as an observer organization

Organizations (non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)) have to be admitted by the Conference of the Parties (COP) as observer organizations to the UNFCCC process before they can send representatives to attend any sessions or meetings of the UNFCCC. While the organization does not need to repeat this process once admitted, it has to register its representatives through the Online Registration System (ORS) in order for them to attend a session.

Before applying for admission through the Online Admission System (OAS), please check whether your organization has already been admitted!

Inter alia, applicant organizations are required to furnish proof of their independent juridical personality and non-profit and/or tax-exempt status. Further information on the mandate and legal provisions for admission of observer organizations can be found here.

Please note that the UNFCCC admission process is independent from any status of an organization with ECOSOC, or other UN organizations and agencies.

During the admission process the following documents will be requested:

Standard admission process for NGOs	Standard admission process for IGOs
English (447 kB) Español (459 kB) Français (190 kB)	English (446 kB) Español (503 kB) Français (189 kB)

Create your account and apply through OAS to be admitted

Help? Take a look at the pdf-icon

OAS User Manual and contact service.desk@unfccc.int for any technical problems.

Deadline: organizations have to submit their application for admission one year in advance to attend a session. Deadline to apply for admission in time to attend COP 24 is 31 August 2017 (deadline for COP 23 closed on 31 August 2016). For background on the application timelines please see the information note on revised application timelines pdf-icon here (169 kB) .

Applications must be complete, including all required official documents and information as outlined in the respective standard admission process above, and have to be submitted within the deadline. Incomplete applications as of the deadline will be automatically deferred to the following review cycle.

Once admitted as observer, please find further information on the registration of representatives for sessions as well as other activities at the following links:

Disclaimer
The UNFCCC secretariat has become aware that certain admitted observer organizations are using commercial business model packages to solicit business. As an inducement to sell these packages, potential clients are assured participation at UNFCCC conferences, sessions and meetings through quotas of admitted observer organizations. The UNFCCC secretariat would like to make clear that it does not endorse such practices nor does it charge any fees to anyone for participating in the UNFCCC process. Eligible participants are accredited only by the UNFCCC secretariat who upon issue of badges by the UNFCCC secretariat can enter conference, sessions and meetings venue and participate, subject to the relevant rules and regulations, in the activities organized by the UNFCCC secretariat including the UNFCCC side events and exhibits and UNFCCC Climate Change Studio.

Attendance without admission

If your organization is not admitted and you have missed the deadline for application or if your organization is not eligible for admission, the representatives of your organization can still attend sessions through the nomination by already-admitted observer organizations as part of their delegations if they agree to nominate.
Visibility will be given to the name of the nominated organization on the official list of participants under the name of the admitted organization if it is entered in ORS.

The contact details of the admitted observer organisations are available here:

Information for individuals and for-profit companies can be found here.

Submissions

Even if not (yet) admitted as observer organization, it is still possible to contribute to the proceedings by providing submissions on agenda items/topics, where requested. Further information can be found on the submissions page for observer organizations.

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