Climate change represents a global crisis that transcends national boundaries, demanding international collaboration and synchronized strategies across all levels. In response to this urgent challenge, global leaders convened at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, achieving a landmark breakthrough on December 12, 2015: the historic Paris Agreement. This agreement serves as a legally binding international treaty, effective since November 4, 2016, with 195 Parties (194 States and the European Union) committed to its tenets. The core objective of the Paris Climate Agreement is to limit global warming and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
The Paris Climate Agreement establishes long-term goals to guide nations in:
- Significantly curbing global greenhouse gas emissions to maintain the global temperature increase well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, while striving to limit it to 1.5°C, acknowledging that this would substantially decrease the risks and impacts associated with climate change.
- Regularly evaluating collective progress towards achieving the agreement’s objectives and long-term goals.
- Providing financial support to developing countries to mitigate climate change, enhance resilience, and bolster their capacity to adapt to climate impacts.
Key Components of the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is built upon several key components that ensure a coordinated and ambitious global response to climate change.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
At the heart of the Paris Agreement lies the concept of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Every five years, each country is expected to submit an updated national climate action plan, outlining the actions they will undertake to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These NDCs reflect each country’s unique circumstances and capabilities. They represent a commitment to contribute to the global effort in combating climate change.
Global Stocktake
To ensure that the world is on track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, a global stocktake is conducted every five years. This comprehensive assessment evaluates the collective progress made by countries in reducing emissions, adapting to climate change impacts, and providing financial support. The first global stocktake concluded at COP28 in 2023. It provided a roadmap for accelerating climate action across mitigation, adaptation, and finance by 2030. This includes a call for governments to expedite the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
Long-Term Strategies
In addition to NDCs, the Paris Agreement encourages countries to formulate and submit long-term strategies. These strategies provide a broader vision for achieving deep decarbonization and climate resilience over several decades. While not mandatory, long-term strategies offer a valuable framework for guiding investments and policies towards a sustainable future.
The Paris Rulebook
The operational details for implementing the Paris Agreement were established at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland, in 2018. These details, collectively known as the “Paris Rulebook”, provide guidelines for measuring, reporting, and verifying emissions reductions, as well as for providing financial support to developing countries. The Paris Rulebook was finalized at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021.
Significance of the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement signifies a global commitment to tackling climate change through collaborative action. It establishes a framework for countries to set their own emissions reduction targets. It also provides a mechanism for tracking progress and increasing ambition over time. The agreement promotes international cooperation in areas such as technology transfer, capacity building, and financial assistance.
Implementation of the Paris Agreement is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It paves the way for a transition towards a net-zero emissions world, fostering a more sustainable and resilient future for all. By working together, nations can limit global warming and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
