The Paris Agreement is a groundbreaking international accord signed by 196 nations in 2015. The agreement aims to combat climate change by keeping the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit it even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The Paris Agreement builds upon the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and sets out specific measures for nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Each participating country has set its own targets, called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), for reducing carbon emissions. These targets are reviewed and updated every five years, with the aim of achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases emitted and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
The Paris Agreement also established a financial mechanism to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change and transition to low-carbon economies. Developed countries committed to providing $100 billion per year in climate finance by 2020, with a goal of increasing this amount in the future.
One of the key elements of the Paris Agreement is the concept of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.” This acknowledges that developed countries are historically responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions and have the resources to take more significant action. Developing countries, on the other hand, have contributed less to the problem but are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement takes this into account by allowing developing countries to take a more gradual approach to reducing emissions and providing them with financial and technical support to do so.
The Paris Agreement has been widely celebrated as a significant step forward in the fight against climate change. However, it has also faced criticism for being non-binding and lacking enforcement mechanisms. The withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in 2017 was a blow to its legitimacy, although the country has since rejoined under the Biden administration.
In conclusion, the Paris Agreement is a landmark international accord that aims to combat climate change by keeping the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. It sets out specific measures for nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, establishes a financial mechanism to help developing countries transition to low-carbon economies, and takes into account the differing responsibilities of developed and developing countries. While it has faced criticisms, it represents an important step forward in the global effort to address climate change.
