About Paris Climate change agreement

ABOUT PARIS AGREEMENT

• At the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal.
• The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C.

Key elements

The Paris Agreement is a bridge between today’s policies and climate-neutrality before the end of the century.

Mitigation: reducing emissions

Governments agreed

• a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels;
• to aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change;
• on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries;
• to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science.

Before and during the Paris conference, countries submitted comprehensive national climate action plans (INDCs). These are not yet enough to keep global warming below 2°C, but the agreement traces the way to achieving this target.

Transparency and global stocktake

Governments agreed to

• come together every 5 years to set more ambitious targets as required by science;
• report to each other and the public on how well they are doing to implement their targets;
• track progress towards the long-term goal through a robust transparency and accountability system.

Adaptation

Governments agreed to

• strengthen societies’ ability to deal with the impacts of climate change;
• provide continued and enhanced international support for adaptation to developing countries.

Loss and damage

The agreement also

• recognises the importance of averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change;
• acknowledges the need to cooperate and enhance the understanding, action and support in different areas such as early warning systems, emergency preparedness and risk insurance.