Paris Agreement

Climate actions

Global Commitment to Address Climate Change

Why the Paris Agreement was Established

The Paris Agreement was established in response to the urgent need to address climate change and its impacts. Climate change is already causing significant harm to ecosystems, human health, and the economy, and if left unchecked, it will have even more severe and irreversible consequences.

The Paris Agreement was designed to build on the foundation established by the Kyoto Protocol and represent a global commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. It recognizes that climate change is a global problem that requires a coordinated and comprehensive response from all countries and that urgent action is needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The substance of the Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding agreement that sets out a framework for countries to work together to limit global warming and mitigate its impacts. It includes several key elements:

Emissions Reduction Targets: The Paris Agreement sets a goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Each country is required to submit a nationally determined contribution (NDC) outlining their emissions reduction targets. The NDCs are reviewed and updated every five years, with the aim of increasing the ambition of the targets over time.

Transparency and Accountability: The Paris Agreement includes provisions for transparency and accountability, requiring countries to regularly report on their emissions and progress toward their NDCs. The reporting is subject to a robust system of review and verification, to ensure that countries are meeting their commitments.

Climate Finance: The Paris Agreement includes provisions for climate finance, requiring developed countries to provide financial support to developing countries to help them transition to a low-carbon economy and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The agreement sets a goal of mobilizing $100 billion per year in climate finance by 2020, with a commitment to increase the amount of finance over time.

Adaptation: The Paris Agreement includes provisions for adaptation, recognizing that some impacts of climate change are already unavoidable, and requiring countries to develop and implement adaptation strategies. The agreement also calls for a global goal on adaptation, and for increased efforts to address the loss and damage associated with climate change impacts.

How the Paris Agreement Differentiates from the Kyoto Protocol

While the Paris Agreement builds on the foundation established by the Kyoto Protocol, there are several key differences between the two agreements:

Scope: The Kyoto Protocol only applied to developed countries, while the Paris Agreement applies to all countries, including both developed and developing countries. This reflects the recognition that all countries have a role to play in addressing climate change, and that a global effort is needed to achieve the necessary emissions reductions.

Emissions Reduction Targets: Under the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries were required to reduce their emissions by an average of 5.2% below their 1990 levels by 2012. The Paris Agreement sets a more ambitious target of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Paris Agreement also allows each country to set its own emissions reduction target, based on its national circumstances and capabilities.

Approach: The Kyoto Protocol relied primarily on regulatory mechanisms, such as binding emissions reduction targets, to achieve its objectives. The Paris Agreement takes a more flexible approach, allowing countries to set their own emissions reduction targets and relying on voluntary commitments to achieve its objectives. This reflects the recognition that different countries have different capabilities and circumstances, and that a flexible approach is needed to ensure broad participation and support.

Similarities Between the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol:

Despite these differences, the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol have the same objective. Reducing the impacts of climate change, invcluding:

1. Commitment to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Both the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol are commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. They both recognize the urgent need to address climate change and its impacts.

2. International Cooperation: Both agreements recognize that climate change is a global problem that requires a coordinated and comprehensive response from all countries. They both establish a framework for international cooperation and provide mechanisms for countries to work together to achieve their emissions reduction targets.

3. Transparency and Accountability: Both agreements include provisions for transparency and accountability, requiring countries to report on their emissions and progress toward their commitments. The reporting is subject to review and verification, to ensure that countries are meeting their commitments.

4. Use of Market-Based Mechanisms: Both agreements allow the use of market-based mechanisms to achieve emissions reductions, such as emissions trading and the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, and the use of carbon markets under the Paris Agreement.

While the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol have some differences, they share a common goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement builds on the foundation established by the Kyoto Protocol and represents a significant step forward in the global effort to address climate change.