The main topic will once again be how to increase countries' climate protection efforts. The climate protection contributions (nationally determined contributions, NDCs) which countries have pledged so far are too weak to achieve the Paris Agreement objective of stabilising global temperature increase well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably at 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

The key item in this regard is the conclusion of the Global Stocktake (GST) in Dubai. Every five years, the parties to the Paris Agreement conduct the GST to assess their collective progress towards the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The results of the GST are supposed to feed into the next round of NDCs, which is due in 2025. In addition, the conference will discuss adoption of goals for global emissions, phasing out of fossil fuels, the expansion of renewables and the improvement of energy efficiency.

In addition, the conference will focus on enhancing financial support for developing countries, in particular for adaptation to the impacts of climate change and dealing with climate-related loss and damage. The conference is in particular supposed to operationalise a new loss and damage fund.

The Wuppertal Institute has been observing the UN climate process from the beginning and will publish an assessment soon after the conference. At each conference, the Institute presents its research at numerous side events and discuss effective ways of implementing the Paris Agreement.

The Wuppertal Institute publishes an analytical report after each COP. The reports published since 2001 can be downloaded below.

Further publications by the Wuppertal Institute on current international climate policy issues can be found on the global climate governance page.