The future of negotiations under the climate change COP (Conference of the Parties): Implementation is not enough

Ever since the adoption of the Paris Agreement's rulebook, the United Nations (UN) climate regime has been in an implementation phase. Patchy and weak implementation of the Paris Agreement obligations, however, has led to calls for the Conference of the Parties (COP) to take a more active role in promoting delivery. However, the COP's scope for action is constrained by its limited mandate and unwieldy process. There are potential ways around these constraints, such as leveraging the authority of COP Presidents, reforming the COP, or setting up ‘climate clubs’ outside the COP. However, given that global emissions continue to rise, and ambition also remains insufficient, this commentary argues for a more radical approach: introducing a voting rule, and negotiation under the COP of new optional legal agreements on specific emission sectors and sources.