In 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to address climate change. It is called a framework convention because it is seen as a starting point of addressing the problem of climate change. The Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994.

The ultimate objective of the Convention is "to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system".