Most developing countries are neither prepared to address nor interested in climate change

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (unfccc) has the potential to become one the most important instruments to-date for addressing urgent global and local environmental and developmental priorities. It is also one of the most inclusive in that it incorporates important actors from government as well as private sector and civil society. Because of the importance of their full participation, the success of the Framework Convention rests greatly on the effectiveness of the instruments established for international cooperation by its signatories.Also crucial to the success of the Framework Convention will be the engagement of all countries, both rich as well as poor. But the engagement of developing countries will only come through programs and actions that also address urgent development and poverty eradication priorities. Thus, while it is obvious that the mechanisms of the unfccc and Protocol will be essential in mitigating and adapting to climate change, they will not be sufficient in-and-of-themselves. Other mechanisms such as a strengthened and well-replenished Global Environmental Facility and Official Development Assistance (oda) will be needed to reinforce the Convention and its objectives. Without them, many developing countries will not have capacities required to make the Framework Convention a success.