The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty that aims to combat climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It was adopted during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015 and entered into force on November 4, 2016.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries are required to regularly report on their emissions and implement actions to reduce them. This includes setting their own targets, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which outline their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The agreement also establishes a financial mechanism to support developing countries in their climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
The Paris Agreement places a strong emphasis on transparency and accountability, with a mechanism for reviewing and increasing ambition over time. It also recognizes the importance of providing support to developing countries, particularly the least developed ones and those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The agreement has been hailed as a landmark achievement in global climate policy as it brought together almost all countries in a collective effort to address climate change. However, critics argue that the current commitments made under the agreement are not enough to reach its temperature goals and that more ambitious action is needed.
The Paris Agreement has continued to be a focus of international climate negotiations, with regular meetings and updates to ensure progress is being made towards its goals.