What is the Paris Agreement and its significance in combating climate change?

The Paris Agreement is an international treaty adopted in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aims to combat climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The agreement also seeks to enhance countries’ adaptive capacity and foster climate resilience.

Here are some key features and significance of the Paris Agreement:

1. Global Participation: The Paris Agreement is significant because it enjoys broad international participation. As of May 2021, 197 countries, including all major emitters, have ratified the agreement, demonstrating a global consensus and commitment to addressing climate change.
2. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Under the Paris Agreement, each participating country is required to submit its voluntary climate action plan called the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The NDCs outline the country’s emissions reduction targets, mitigation strategies, adaptation efforts, and the support needed from the international community. NDCs are submitted every five years and represent a bottom-up approach, allowing countries to set their own climate goals based on their national circumstances and capabilities.
3. Long-Term Temperature Goal: The Paris Agreement sets a long-term temperature goal to limit global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This temperature threshold is crucial for avoiding catastrophic impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, and risks to human livelihoods.
4. Transparency and Accountability: The agreement emphasizes transparency and accountability by requiring countries to regularly report on their emissions, progress towards their NDCs, and the implementation of climate policies and measures. This transparency builds trust and allows for tracking global progress in achieving the agreement’s goals.
5. Climate Finance and Support: The Paris Agreement recognizes the need for financial support from developed countries to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change. Developed countries have committed to mobilizing financial resources, aiming to reach a target of $100 billion per year by 2020, and to provide additional support beyond 2020. The agreement also establishes the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a mechanism to channel financial assistance to developing countries.
6. Global Stocktake: The agreement includes a mechanism for a global stocktake every five years. This process assesses collective progress towards the agreement’s goals and informs countries’ future NDCs. The stocktake encourages countries to ramp up their climate ambitions over time based on the latest scientific knowledge and technological advancements.
7. Non-State Actor Engagement: The Paris Agreement recognizes the importance of engaging non-state actors, including businesses, cities, regions, and civil society organizations, in climate action. It encourages their involvement through initiatives such as the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, which aims to mobilize and support climate action by various stakeholders.

The Paris Agreement is a landmark international agreement that provides a framework for global cooperation to address climate change. It establishes a clear pathway for countries to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate impacts, and promote sustainable development. Its significance lies in its ability to drive collective action, foster international cooperation, and guide the global transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient future.