MEAs Glossary

Act whereby a State becomes a Party to an international agreement already negotiated and closed for signature. Accession has the same legal effect as ratification, although an acceding State has not signed the agreement

Adaptation is the process of adjustment to actual or expected climatic changes and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.

1) Generic term for an international legally binding instrument. In this sense, encompasses several instruments, such as treaties, conventions, protocols or oral agreements.

2) Specific term used to designate international instruments that are sic “less formal”, thus corresponding to soft law and deal with a narrower range of subject matter than treaties