Paris Agreement

Definition

The Paris Agreement is a landmark international treaty adopted in 2015 to combat climate change and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, aiming for a target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. It represents a collective commitment from countries around the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance adaptive capacity, and promote sustainable development, aligning with both mitigation and adaptation strategies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Paris Agreement requires all participating countries to submit and update their NDCs every five years, encouraging them to increase their ambition over time.
2. The agreement emphasizes the importance of financial support for developing countries, recognizing that they often lack the resources to effectively address climate change impacts.
3. A key component of the Paris Agreement is the 'global stocktake,' a process set to occur every five years to assess collective progress towards achieving its goals.
4. The agreement is legally binding in terms of procedural obligations, but it does not impose specific emission reduction targets on countries, allowing flexibility based on national circumstances.
5. The Paris Agreement has been ratified by nearly every country in the world, making it one of the most universally supported international treaties in history.

Review Questions

• How do Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) reflect individual country commitments within the framework of the Paris Agreement?
  • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are crucial because they represent each country's tailored plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts. By setting specific targets and strategies, NDCs allow countries to take ownership of their commitments while contributing to the overall goals of limiting global warming. This decentralized approach fosters accountability and encourages nations to enhance their ambitions over time during subsequent updates.
• What role does the Green Climate Fund play in supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement?
  • The Green Climate Fund plays a vital role in mobilizing financial resources for developing countries, which are often the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. By providing funding for projects that aim to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience, the fund helps these nations implement their NDCs effectively. This support is essential for achieving the global targets set forth in the Paris Agreement and ensuring that all countries can contribute to combating climate change.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement's approach to mitigating climate change on a global scale and its implications for future environmental policies.
  • The effectiveness of the Paris Agreement can be evaluated through its innovative framework that encourages voluntary participation and iterative improvement via NDCs. While it has succeeded in uniting nearly all nations under a common goal, challenges remain regarding compliance, equity among nations, and actual emission reductions. The implications for future environmental policies include an increased emphasis on international cooperation, enhanced transparency measures, and ongoing adjustments based on scientific evidence, highlighting that a flexible yet accountable framework is crucial for long-term success against climate change.

Related terms

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): These are the climate action plans submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement, outlining their individual commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Green Climate Fund: A global fund established to assist developing countries in financing their climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts as part of their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

COP (Conference of the Parties): The supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), where parties meet to assess progress in dealing with climate change and negotiate agreements such as the Paris Agreement.