At COP21 in December 2015, 196 countries agreed to take part in the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty that aims to keep the increase in global temperature since the Industrial Revolution to 1.5-2°C. This goal stems from the verdict of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warned that exceeding a 1.5°C raise in temperature since industrial times will result in extreme global weather and climate impacts. In order to limit the raise in temperature to 1.5°C, global GHG “emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030,” meaning that action must be taken immediately to reduce the destruction caused by global warming.

Though countries can choose any method to act against climate change, the Paris Agreement notes the usefulness of technology to prevent and remedy the factors that contribute to climate change, because it can set countries up with the foundation they need to make the most effective decisions.

Each country that takes part in the Paris Agreement must submit their NDCs, or naturally determined contributions, which include their plans on reducing their emissions and fighting climate change, and should involve more and more action with each successive NDC. They can also create long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LT-LEDS), though those are not required. The Paris Agreement also encourages economically secure countries to financially help struggling nations, but does not force it.

With the upcoming Presidential election and the recent mention of the Paris Agreement on this website, I figured it would be wise to cover exactly what the Paris Agreement is, because it was a landmark event for climate change. I’ve been thinking a lot about the 2024 election, and I want to be educated about the potential repercussions involved if the current primary Republican candidate, Trump, is elected. I’m considering writing a piece on Trump’s campaign promises that regard climate change, and perhaps Biden’s as well, because it’s important to know what’s on the line here. Of course, their plans involve several other factors, but the environment is a main concern of this website, and I think this nationally relevant news warrants some attention.

The Paris Agreement is legally binding, and submitting NDCs is a requirement, but it’s generally vague in a way that makes me question how effective it is. It’s also not clear how a country benefits from signing onto the agreement, because generally nations don’t make decisions unless it benefits them in one way or another. Either way, I found it useful to look into what exactly the Paris Agreement is, because although I’d heard of it many times, I wasn’t entirely sure. Not sure what’s in store for next week, but stay tuned to learn with me!

https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement