The Paris Agreement is a landmark international accord that sets a framework to tackle global warming and climate change. It was adopted in December 2015 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and has been ratified by 189 countries, as of January 2021.
The aim of the Paris Agreement is to limit the global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is crucial in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and food and water shortages.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding treaty that requires countries to submit national climate plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), every five years. These plans outline each country`s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as their strategies for achieving these targets.
The Paris Agreement also established a Climate Finance Mechanism to provide financial support to developing countries to help them transition to low-carbon economies and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Developed countries have committed to providing at least $100 billion per year in climate finance by 2020, and to increase this amount in the future.
The Paris Agreement has been widely hailed as a major step forward in the global fight against climate change. It has set a clear direction for the world to move towards a low-carbon future and has provided a framework for international cooperation on climate action. However, there are still challenges ahead in implementing the Paris Agreement, particularly in terms of increasing ambition in national climate plans and securing the necessary funding to support climate action.
Overall, the Paris Agreement represents a critical turning point in global efforts to address climate change, and its success will depend on the continued commitment and action of countries around the world. As individuals, we can also play our part by reducing our own carbon footprint and advocating for strong climate policies at all levels of government.