The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was opened for signature at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) conference known as the Earth Summit. 154 Nations signed the UNFCCC that upon ratification, committed signatories' governments, to a voluntary "non-binding aim" to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases with the goal of "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with Earth's climate system."
According to UN procedure, it would come into force as soon as 50 countries ratified the Convention. This milestone was reached on March 24, 1994.
After the UNFCCC came into force, the Parties, now 194 in number, have been meeting annually – this annual meeting is called the Conferences of the Parties (CoP).
The CoPs assess progress in dealing with Climate Change, hearing the reports of the Subsidiary Bodies and the IPCC, and negotiate the adoption of plans of action for member countries.