The 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 10th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol took place from 1 to 12 December and was hosted by the Government of Peru, in Lima, Peru. Representatives of nearly 200 countries participated in the talks, with the aim of building a favorable starting point towards a successful summit at the next COP, the number 21, to be held in Paris in December 2015.

The conference in Lima started under good auspices, thanks to the unexpected political developments in the months preceding the meeting, such as the joint commitment for the reduction of GHG and the new EU emission targets.

At its closing, following nearly two weeks of discussion, the meeting can be still considered at least partially a success, since the negotiators have agreed on a plan to fight global warming that would for the first time commit all countries to cutting their greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the plan, countries will have to present their proposed emission reduction targets (the so called "intended nationally determined contributions" - INDCs) by March 2015. The United Nations would then analyze all pledges and determine whether the collective action proposed will be enough to limit warming to 2°C. This would leave each country free to decide to what extent to commit itself but at the same time would increase uncertainty as to the actual possibility of reaching the overall reduction target. This is the main concern of those who are critical of the real effectiveness of the agreement.

For the first time an agreement was also reached over the possibility of funding adaptation and not merely mitigation measures, and countries already threatened by climate change – such as small island states – were promised a "loss and damage" program of financial aid. The amount pledged for this Green Climate Fund however barely surpassed the UN intermediate goal of $10bn.

If compared to previous COP meetings, the Lima Conference has certainly marked many steps forward towards a global commitment to confront climate change. Now more work will be needed before the meeting in Paris, to reach a real international agreement over climate change action. However, both developed and developing countries should also start immediately to take decisive action at the national level. The funds offered for international mitigation and adaptation initiatives are certainly important but they will not be enough to cover all the costs that are likely to be caused by climate change. It is important therefore that all countries decide now to start investing the funds required for national infrastructures and buildings using low-carbon and sustainable technologies, moving away from the old high-carbon route.

For more information please visit the conference website