The intergovernmental negotiation process primarily encompasses the Conference of the Parties, the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, Subsidiary Bodies meetings and a series of workshops.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the "supreme body" of the Convention; it is the highest decision-making authority. It is an association of all the countries that are Parties to the Convention. The COP meets every year, unless the Parties decide otherwise.

The Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) is the "supreme body" of the Kyoto Protocol. It is an association of those Parties to the Convention that have also ratified the Kyoto Protocol. The CMP meets every year during the same period as the COP.

The Convention established two permanent subsidiary bodies: the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI). These bodies give advice to the COP and the CMP, and each has a specific mandate. The SBSTA and the SBI traditionally meet in parallel, at least twice a year.

Workshops on specific issues are organized throughout the year.