What Does the Paris Agreement Say?

By Michael Ferguson

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015. The agreement aims to limit global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit this increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Background

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today, with severe consequences for human health, economies, and ecosystems. The Earth’s temperature has already increased by about 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and this has caused a range of impacts such as more frequent heatwaves, droughts, floods, and rising sea levels.

The Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement builds upon the UNFCCC and sets out a framework for all countries to take action on climate change. It recognizes that climate change is a common concern of humankind and that all countries have a role to play in addressing it.

Key Elements

The Paris Agreement has several key elements:

  • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Each country is required to submit an NDC outlining its contribution towards mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
  • Global Stocktake: There will be regular reviews of progress towards meeting the goals of the agreement.
  • Transparency: There will be a robust system for reporting and reviewing progress towards meeting the goals of the agreement.
  • Finance: Developed countries are required to provide financial resources to developing countries for both mitigation and adaptation actions.
  • Loss and Damage: The agreement recognizes the need to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change, particularly in vulnerable countries.

Impact

The Paris Agreement has been hailed as a historic achievement in the fight against climate change. It has galvanized global action on climate change and sent a strong signal to markets, businesses, and governments that the transition to a low-carbon economy is inevitable.

However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that the goals of the Paris Agreement are met. Countries need to increase their ambition in their NDCs, and there needs to be more finance available for developing countries to take action on climate change.

Conclusion

The Paris Agreement is a crucial step towards addressing the urgent threat of climate change. It provides a framework for all countries to take action on this issue and sets out clear goals for limiting global temperature rise. However, it will require continued effort and cooperation from all countries if we are to successfully mitigate the impacts of climate change.