You have probably heard of COP 27, the largest global climate forum, which is being held in Egypt and has been the center of attention at the moment. The acronym refers to the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the number tells you the edition: in 2022 the 27th edition will take place between November 6 and 18.

Also known as the "United Nations Conference on Climate Change", the meeting is organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and annually brings together representatives from various countries to exchange experiences, listen to reports and, through dialogue, seek solutions and sign agreements to overcome environmental issues.

When was the first COP held? - The first conference was held in Germany, in 1995, focusing on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This was the beginning of the negotiations that later culminated in important decisions such as the Kyoto Protocol (1997), which presented stricter targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and created the carbon market.

How does the COP work? - The conference environment is divided into two areas: the Blue Zone and the Green Zone, which this year are located opposite each other. The Blue Zone is a space managed by the United Nations dedicated to negotiations by country leaders and only participants accredited by the UNFCCC Secretariat can enter.

"This year, there will be 156 pavilions within the Blue Zone, twice as many as in Glasgow [which hosted the event in 2021]. Many UN [United Nations] agencies, countries and regions will be represented, and there will also be a Youth Pavilion and an Agri-Food Pavilion for the first time," the UN office in Brazil disclosed.

The Green Zone is managed by the Egyptian government, host of the event this year, and is open to the registered public. On the program of this space are exhibitions, workshops and lectures aimed at encouraging dialogue and awareness regarding climate change. "According to the presidency, the Green Zone will be the platform where the business community, youth, civil and indigenous societies, academia, artists and communities from around the world can express themselves and their voices can be heard," explains UN Brazil.

Protest zone - New this year is that the Green Zone will include a special "protest zone" and a huge outdoor lounge and terrace. According to the event organizers, all protests in the city must be held only in this delimited space and must be announced in advance.

Follow the program - Even if you are far away, you can stay on top of the main discussions at COP27 following the Grupo Liberal's coverage on the portal, radio and social networks. You can also find content focused on the Amazon participation through Liberal Amazon, here, on the website, twitter and Instagram.