VERTIC is an independent, non-profit making, non-governmental organization. Its mission is to promote effective and efficient verification as a means of ensuring confidence in the implementation of international agreements. VERTIC has three broad research programmes: the environment, peace agreements and arms control and disarmament. VERTIC's principal area of research in the multilateral environmental agreement field focuses on the implementation and verification of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Publishers of the Verification Yearbook and "A guide to verification for environmental agreements" (2003).