The Paris Agreement signed on December 12, 2015, is a historic document that aims to curb global warming by limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement was adopted by 195 countries, making it the most comprehensive climate agreement to date. Here are some essential facts about the 2015 Paris Agreement:
1. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to hold the increase in global average temperatures to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
2. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding agreement that requires countries to submit their emissions reduction plans every five years.
3. The agreement also includes provisions for climate finance, whereby developed countries must provide financial assistance to developing countries to help them transition to a low-carbon economy and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
4. The Paris Agreement is the first global climate agreement to include all countries, including major emitters such as China and the United States.
5. The agreement was negotiated over two weeks at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in December 2015.
6. The Paris Agreement came into force on November 4, 2016, after it was ratified by at least 55 countries, which accounted for at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
7. The United States, under President Barack Obama, played a significant role in negotiating the Paris Agreement and was one of the countries to ratify it. However, under President Donald Trump, the United States announced its intention to withdraw from the agreement, which took effect on November 4, 2020.
8. Since the Paris Agreement was adopted, countries have made progress in reducing emissions, but the current trajectory is not sufficient to meet the agreed-upon temperature targets. A new round of emissions reduction plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), is due in 2020, and countries are expected to increase their ambitions to close the emissions gap.
In conclusion, the Paris Agreement is a crucial milestone in the fight against climate change and represents a global commitment to limit the warming of our planet. While progress has been made since its adoption, much more needs to be done to achieve the ambitious temperature targets and prevent catastrophic climate change.