Fiddling at the conference of the parties? Peeping into the highs and lows of the post-Kyoto climate change conferences: a review on contexts, decisions and implementation highlights

The Conference of the Parties (COPs) resulted in the development of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement to reduce global warming by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and deforestation by 2030. Over 25 years of COPs, coherent information is scanty on the status of the GHG emissions and deforestation within the period of the COP meetings especially after the ushering in of the Kyoto Protocol. With less than a decade to reach 2030, there is need for a review to gauge if the 2030 GHG reduction target is on course. This has a bearing on the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals 1, 13, 14 and 15. A literature-based review was conducted on the status of GHG emissions (prior and during COP meetings) and deforestation covering the COP period. The review reveals that from 1976 to 1995 (prior to COP meetings), the annual GHG emissions were lower (32.44 ± 7 million kiloton) than during the decades (1999–2018) of the COP meetings (38.4 ± 9 million kiloton) (p = 0.0001). Forest loss and tree cover loss (deforestation) increased by an average of 3.4 and 20.6 million ha per year, respectively. The COPs have resulted in the establishment of the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund and revamping of the Global Environment Facility on funding and response to proposals, although faced with inconsistent provision of climate finance. As major emitters, developed countries (G20) hold the key to achieving the GHG reduction. Policies that either promote sustainable forestry or reduce the reliance on trees/forests should be implemented.