Each Party to the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol is represented at sessions of the Convention bodies by a national delegation consisting of one or more officials empowered to represent and negotiate on behalf of their government.
Based on the tradition of the United Nations, Parties are organized into five regional groups, mainly for the purposes of electing the Bureau, namely: African States, Asia-Pacific States, Eastern European States, Latin American and the Caribbean States, and the Western European and Other States (the "Other States" include Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of America, but not Japan, which is in the Asian Group).
The five regional groups, however, are not usually used to present the substantive interests of Parties and several other groupings are more important for climate negotiations.
Negotiating Groups
There are currently 16 official negotiating groups in the UNFCCC negotiation process. The most recent addition in June 2025, is the Group of Land-Locked Developing Countries.
African Group of Negotiators (African Group)
The African Group of Negotiators (African Group) was established in 1995 during COP 1, held in Berlin, Germany. The group consists of 54 African countries that work together to represent the continent's common interests in international climate change negotiations. The African Group aims to ensure that Africa’s priorities - such as climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, capacity building, and loss and damage - are effectively addressed in global climate agreements.
Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC)
The Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) is a coalition of eight Latin American and Caribbean countries that share interests and positions on climate change in international climate negotiations. Established in 2012 at COP 18 in Doha, AILAC aims to generate coordinated, ambitious positions that contribute to a balanced multilateral climate change negotiation, considering a vision consistent with sustainable development and responsibility for the environment and future generations.
Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA)
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) is a regional political and economic cooperation group founded in 2004 by Venezuela and Cuba. The group consists of 5 countries that serve as a strong voice in the global climate regime to ensure fairness in climate action.
AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is a coalition of 39 small island and low-lying coastal developing states that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Established in 1990, AOSIS represents the interests of its member countries, primarily from the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Africa, in climate change advocacy and negotiations. AOSIS is known for being a strong voice in international climate negotiations, pushing for ambitious global action to limit global warming and protect vulnerable countries.
Arab States
The Arab States is a regional negotiating bloc composed of 22 Arab countries. Formed in 1945, the Arab States plays a collective role in shaping and promoting the climate interests of its member states in international negotiations.
BASIC
The BASIC Group is a coalition of four major emerging economies - Brazil, South Africa, India, and China - that coordinate their positions in international climate change negotiations. Formed in 2009, the BASIC Group often seeks to bridge the interests of developing and developed countries, while also emphasizing the need to protect the development space of emerging economies.
Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN)
The Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) is an intergovernmental organization that plays a significant role in international climate negotiations, particularly in advancing the interests of tropical forest countries. Established in 2005, the Coalition brings together 52 rainforest countries from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The CfRN works to ensure that tropical forest countries have a strong and united voice and that forests are central to global climate solutions.
Environmental Integrity Group (EIG)
The Environmental Integrity Group (EIG), formed in 2000, comprises Mexico, Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Georgia. The EIG has both developing and developed countries, working to build consensus between developed and developing countries while promoting ambitious and fair climate outcomes.
Group of 77 and China (G77 and China)
The Group of 77 and China was founded in 1964 in the context of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and now functions throughout the UN system. As at May 2014, there are 135 members in the Group, plus one (1) observer Party. The Party holding the Chair of the G-77 in New York (which rotates every year) often speaks for the G-77 and China as a whole. However, because the G-77 and China is a diverse group with differing interests on climate change issues, individual developing country Parties also intervene in debates, as do groups within the G77 and China, such as the African Group, the Small Island Developing States and the Least Developed Countries group.
Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs)
The membership of the Group of LLDCs comprises Parties to the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. The objectives of the Group of LLDCs are to ensure that outcomes of UN climate change negotiations reflect the specific interests and priorities related to the members landlocked nature; strengthen the capacity of the Group’s members to participate in and influence the UNFCCC and related processes; and to support the Group’s members’ implementation of Convention and Paris Agreement commitments at the national level.
Grupo SUR (Group SUR)
Gruppo Sur, formerly known as ABU Group, is a negotiating group within the UNFCCC. It primarily represents countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, specifically those with similar positions on climate change issues.
Grupo SUR was formed to enhance coordination and solidarity among progressive Latin American countries
ABU, now Grupo SUR, was formally established in 2006, during the UNFCCC negotiations in Nairobi, Kenya (COP12). However, informal coordination among Latin American and Caribbean countries began as early as the 1990s. Grupo SUR consists of like-minded Latin American and Caribbean countries. Membership may slightly vary by negotiation session, but generally includes around 14 - 20 countries.
Least Developed Countries
The 45 Parties defined as Least Developed Countries by the United Nations regularly work together in the wider UN system. They have become increasingly active in the climate change process, often working together to defend their particular interests, for example with regard to vulnerability and adaptation to climate change. Based on Economic Analysis and recommendations from the Committee for Development Policy of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs countries traditionally graduate from the LDC category following review and having met the graduation thresholds for the Human Assets Index (HAI) and income (GNI per capita). The latest country to graduate from the LDCs is Sao Tomoe and Principe.
Like-Minded
The Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) group formally emerged in the UNFCCC negotiations around 2007, though its roots go back to earlier alignments within G77+China, especially after COP13 in Bali (2007) during the launch of the Bali Action Plan. It became more post-2010, particularly during negotiations leading up to and after COP15 in Copenhagen (2009) and COP17 in Durban (2011). As of recent sessions (2023–2024), the LMDC group consists of approximately 24 developing countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Mountain Group
In June 2010 representatives of the Governments of Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan met in Bonn during the inter-sessional meetings of the UNFCCC to discuss the opportunity to establish a group of Mountainous Landlocked Developing Countries (MLDC). The aim of the group is to raise awareness among the Parties to the UNFCCC of the challenges that mountainous landlocked developing countries face due to climate change and ensure that the needs of these countries are met in the framework of the UNFCCC's negotiating process.
In July 2023, the group was reestablished and renamed to the Group of Mountain Partnership. The Group of Mountainous Landlocked Developing Countries then comprised Armenia, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan.
In consultation with the group’s participating countries at their meetings during the UNFCCC Bonn Climate sessions held in June 2025, the group’s name was officially changed to Mountain Group.
Umbrella Group
The Umbrella Group is a coalition of Parties that formed following the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol. The Group is made up of Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Norway, Ukraine, and the United States. The United Kingdom is the latest addition to the groups, when it formally joined in 2023.
The list of Chairs and Coordinators of the Negotiating Groups in the UNFCCC process can be found here.
