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UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United States is a Party to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 
and
participates actively in ongoing negotiations under the UNFCCC. The U.S.
signed the treaty in June 1992, and ratified it in October of that same
year, becoming the first industrialized country and fourth nation overall
to do so.
As one of its commitments under the UNFCCC, the U.S. produces an annual
inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and sinks. EPA leads this effort
on behalf of the U.S. government in collecting and verifying data from
a number of other departments and agencies. In addition, with contributions
from EPA and other federal agencies, the State Department coordinates and
produces the periodic National Communication of the United States (“The
Climate Action Report”), a reporting document that is required under
the UNFCCC. In addition, the U.S. contributes substantial funding to the
Global Environment Facility (GEF) ,
the financial mechanism under the UNFCCC. The funding supports technology
transfer and capacity building in developing
countries.