Climate Change
COP21: Paris Climate Conference Jargon Buster
Everything you need to know, but were afraid to ask.
What's Really Being Said At Climate Change Talks
This article is for subscribers only.
UN-sponsored climate talks in Paris – commonly referred to as COP21 – have opened in the French capital, with leaders including French President Francois Hollande, U.S. President Barack Obama and China's President Xi Jinping leading calls for a global deal.
The talks are riddled with jargon and acronyms that endlessly baffle those who are not experts in the field. To help you to decipher the official language of the two-week summit, here is a guide to the most important terminology – in video (above) and in glossary form (below).