This is what actually happens at the COP climate summits
![Presenters stand on a stage in front of an audience at COP27](https://assets-woodwell.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/29100155/IMG_0319-930x620.jpg)
photo by Sarah Ruiz.
This is what actually happens at the COP climate summits
The UN has been holding annual climate conferences for 28 years. Here’s a peek behind the curtain.
When the United Nations held its first annual climate conference in 1995 in Berlin, Michael Jordan was still in the NBA, Google didn’t exist yet, and cellphones were rare. Times have changed. But 28 years—and 28 conferences later—we’re still not moving quickly enough to deal with climate change.
This week, tens of thousands of people will attend the 28th “COP,” or Conference of Parties, in Dubai. You might be wondering how much these summits actually accomplish. Here’s a short guide to the process.
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