“For the first time, we have a truly universal agreement on climate change, one of the most crucial problems on earth”.
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In spelling out the need for greenhouse gases to peak as soon as possible, and setting aims for the second half of the century that effectively mean the world will have to reach net zero emissions, the deal is being seen in many quarters as signalling the end of the fossil fuel era.
Kerry said the deal is the “best we could to set the world on a new course toward energy independence, alternative renewable energy, toward a lower carbon footprint, greater health, greater security”. If we cast aside the euphoria for a moment, it will become evident that despite some progress in areas like a commitment to transfer technology and funds from developed to developing nations, it leaves the onus of fighting climate change on the actions of individual nations, euphemistically called Nationally Determined Contributions.
Pope Francis is encouraging concerted efforts by all so that the climate pact can be put into action.
The landmark Paris Agreement on climate change was adopted by 196 countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change during the CoP21 hosted by France. After four years of fraught UN talks often pitting the interests of rich nations against poor, imperilled island states against rising economic powerhouses, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius declared the pact adopted, to the standing applause and whistles of delegates from nearly 200 nations.
He said that there aren’t any penalties or sanctions in the deal for nations that don’t comply because the U.S. Congress, among other nations, would never accept them.
The Paris Agreement won’t work without each and every one of us – from businesses, to civil society, and most especially to each and every single human being on this planet. “And recognizing the risk of grave consequences, you have further agreed to pursue efforts to limit temperature increase to 1.5 degrees”, he said.
“While give and take is normal in negotiations, we are of the opinion that the agreement could have been more ambitious”. But the agreement has transparency rules to help encourage countries to actually do what they say they will do. Actual dollar amounts were kept out of the agreement itself, but wealthy nations had previously pledged to provide $100 billion annually in climate finance by 2020. For the first time, every country in the world has pledged to curb emissions, strengthen resilience and join in common cause to take common climate action.
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The agreement was also reached as South Africa chaired the Group of 77 plus China – a group of more than 130 developing countries representing more than eighty percent of the world’s population.
