Paris Climate Agreement

Paris Climate Agreement
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Name	Paris Climate Agreement
Type	UNFCCC treaty
Date signed	12 December 2015
Location signed	Le Bourget, France
Date effective	4 November 2016
Condition effective	Ratification by at least 55 UNFCCC Parties accounting for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions
Signatories	195
Parties	194 (as of 2024)
Depositor	Secretary-General of the United Nations
Languages	Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

Paris Climate Agreement. The landmark international treaty, adopted under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, establishes a global framework to combat climate change and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future. It was finalized at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in France and entered into force in record time the following year. The accord aims to limit global temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to cap it at 1.5°C, recognizing this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of a warming planet.

Background and negotiation

The path to this accord was paved by decades of scientific assessment and international diplomacy. Key milestones included the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, which set binding emission targets for developed nations. The negotiation process was reinvigorated following perceived shortcomings at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Under the leadership of Laurent Fabius and Christiana Figueres, diplomats worked toward a more inclusive and flexible model. The final negotiations in Le Bourget involved intense deliberations among parties including the United States, China, the European Union, and the Alliance of Small Island States, culminating in its adoption by consensus.

Goals and structure

The central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, consistent with sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty. Its core temperature goals are supported by a global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. A key structural element is the system of Nationally Determined Contributions, whereby each country submits its own non-binding national plans for emission reductions and adaptation. The agreement also establishes a global stocktake every five years to assess collective progress, with each successive NDC intended to represent a progression beyond the previous one. Additional goals include increasing climate finance flows, enhancing adaptive capacity, and fostering climate resilience.

Implementation and mechanisms

Implementation is facilitated through several key mechanisms and frameworks. A robust transparency framework requires all parties to regularly report on their emissions and progress, though with built-in flexibility for developing nations based on their capacities. The Global Stocktake, the first of which concluded at COP28 in Dubai, serves as a periodic assessment to inform more ambitious national actions. Financial support is channeled through entities like the Green Climate Fund, with developed countries obligated to provide resources to assist developing countries with mitigation and adaptation. The agreement also promotes voluntary cooperation through approaches like internationally transferred mitigation outcomes and a mechanism to contribute to mitigation and support sustainable development.

National commitments and progress

Initial NDCs, submitted around the time of the 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, were collectively insufficient to meet the temperature goals, highlighting an ambition gap. Major emitters like the European Union have since passed legislation like the European Green Deal, while China pledged to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The administration of Joe Biden saw the United States rejoin the accord after the withdrawal under Donald Trump. According to analyses by the United Nations Environment Programme and Climate Action Tracker, current policies and pledges, if fully implemented, would still likely lead to warming above 2°C, underscoring the need for enhanced action before future COP summits.

Criticism and challenges

The agreement has faced criticism from various perspectives. Some scientists and activists, including those aligned with Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion, argue its reliance on voluntary national pledges is too weak and lacks enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. Political challenges have included the temporary withdrawal of the United States under the Trump administration and debates over "loss and damage" financing for vulnerable nations, a issue partially addressed at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh. Further challenges involve mobilizing the pledged $100 billion annually in climate finance from developed to developing countries and ensuring a just transition for economies dependent on fossil fuels, such as Saudi Arabia and Australia. Achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century requires unprecedented technological transformation and global cooperation.

Category:Climate change treaties Category:2015 in the environment Category:United Nations treaties