Identifying UN Climate Protection Legal Instruments

The question asks to identify which option listed is NOT a legal instrument established by the United Nations for the protection of the climate system. We need to examine each option:

• Paris Agreement: This is a legally binding international treaty adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aims to combat climate change by limiting global warming. Thus, it IS a legal instrument.
• United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): The IPCC is a body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). However, the IPCC itself is a scientific assessment body, not a legal treaty or convention. It provides reports that inform policy, but it does not create international law or legally binding commitments.
• United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change (UNFCCC): This is the foundational international treaty adopted in 1992 that sets the framework for international climate action. It IS a legal instrument.
• Kyoto Protocol: This is an international treaty that extends the UNFCCC, setting binding emission reduction targets for developed countries. It IS a legal instrument.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, the Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, and Kyoto Protocol are all UN legal instruments for climate protection. The United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), while crucial for climate science, is not a legal instrument itself.

Therefore, the correct option is the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change.