The 2001 United Nations Climate Change Conference took place from October 29 to November 10, 2001, in Marrakech, Morocco.

The negotiators wrapped up the work on the Buenos Aires Plan of Action, finalizing most of the operational details and setting the stage for nations to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

The United States delegation maintained its observer role, declining to participate actively in the negotiations.

The date of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (August–September 2002) was put forward as a target to bring the Kyoto Protocol into force.

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa.