Internacional

Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects the entire planet, both in its causes and effects, and requires a coordinated international response based on the collaboration of all countries. According to an international survey published in 2019, climate change is considered the main global threat.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established as the key multilateral response to address climate change. Both Spain and the other Member States of the European Union (EU) actively participate in this international negotiation process through the annual meetings of the Convention Parties.

Adaptation to climate change is an essential element of the UNFCCC's work agenda. Among its main achievements are:

  • The Nairobi Work Programme (COP12, 2006) on impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation to climate change: provides scientific, technical, and socio-economic information to the Convention Parties, particularly developing countries, through workshops and documents.

  • The Cancun Adaptation Framework (COP16, 2010): aims to strengthen adaptation efforts through international cooperation and a coherent examination of adaptation-related issues under the Convention.

  • The Warsaw International Mechanism (COP19, 2013): serves as the primary vehicle under the Convention for addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, particularly in developing countries most vulnerable to adverse effects.

  • The Paris Agreement (COP21, 2015): in its Article 7 outlines the global goal on adaptation, aiming to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate change to promote sustainable development.

  • The operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund (COP28, 2023) marks a further step in recognizing the need for financial resources to address the economic and non-economic impacts caused by extreme weather events and slow-onset climate impacts in particularly vulnerable developing countries.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

In 1988, the United Nations established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a scientific body that examines and analyzes the latest scientific literature and conducts periodic assessments of the state of knowledge on climate change to make it available to the international community, policymakers, and society at large. 

Since 1988, the IPCC has presented six comprehensive assessment reports and several special reports on specific topics, which represent a valuable contribution to the UNFCCC's work. You can find more information about the IPCC and the results of its reports on the website of the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).

In 2023, the IPCC completed its sixth assessment cycle with the publication of a set of reports, known as AR6, providing an updated understanding of the scientific, technical, and socio-economic aspects of climate change.

As in previous cycles, this work consists of three assessment reports prepared by three working groups: Group I on the Physical Science Basis; Group II on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability; and Group III on Climate Change Mitigation. These are complemented by a Synthesis Report and three special reports on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C, climate change and land degradation, and oceans and the cryosphere.

MITECO has been making efforts to disseminate these resources by creating simplified and translated versions into Spanish. This was first done with the production of summary guides of the reports from the three working groups of the Fifth Assessment Cycle (AR5):

Similarly, summary guides of the Sixth Report (AR6) and its three working groups have been prepared:

Additionally, summary guides in Spanish have also been published for the special reports prepared by the IPCC during this sixth assessment cycle:

  • “Summary Guide of the Special Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5°C and Related Emission Pathways” (Climate Change, Global Warming of 1.5°C). (2018)
  • “Summary Guide of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems” (Climate Change and Land). (2019)
  • “Summary Guide of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Oceans and Cryosphere” (Climate Change and Oceans and Cryosphere). (2019)

Complete versions (available only in English) of the Working Group Reports as well as the Special Reports from the Sixth Assessment Cycle (AR6) can be found on the IPCC's official website: