What Happened at the Paris Climate Summit of 2015?

By Alice Nichols

The Paris Climate Summit, also known as the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21), took place from November 30 to December 12, 2015. The summit was held with the objective of formulating a global agreement to tackle climate change and limit global warming to under two degrees Celsius. The summit was attended by representatives from 196 countries, including heads of state, environment ministers, and diplomats.

The Paris Agreement

After several rounds of negotiations and discussions, the participating countries agreed on a historic deal – the Paris Agreement. The agreement aimed to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change and set a long-term goal of keeping global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Additionally, it aimed to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Paris Agreement was a significant milestone in international efforts towards combating climate change since it marked the first time that all nations agreed on a common cause despite their differences in economic status, political ideologies, and priorities.

The Key Elements

The Paris Agreement had five key elements:

1. Mitigation

Participating countries pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). These contributions were voluntary pledges made by each country outlining their plans for reducing emissions.

2. Adaptation

Countries committed to adapting their societies and economies to cope with the impacts of climate change that are already happening or are expected in the future.

3. Finance

Developed countries pledged financial support for developing countries in their efforts towards mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts.

4. Technology Transfer

The Paris Agreement recognized that technology transfer would play a critical role in achieving its goals. Developed countries agreed to share their technology and expertise with developing countries to help them reduce their emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

5. Transparency and Accountability

The Paris Agreement established a framework for transparent monitoring, reporting, and verification of countries’ progress towards achieving their climate goals.

Conclusion

The Paris Climate Summit was a turning point in the global fight against climate change. The Paris Agreement represented a significant step forward in international cooperation towards tackling climate change. While there is still much work to be done, the Paris Agreement provided a framework for the world to work together towards a common goal of limiting global warming below two degrees Celsius.