This agreement will spur a transformation of global growth and development and open the door to a low-carbon, stable, sustainable future, the French Presidency of COP21 said.
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“If it delivers that, it truly will be world changing”.
Though considered to be a welcome development, the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement depends on the determination of nations to achieve the national emission cap they have set for themselves and how stringently they follow the same.
The third main component of the agreement, which continues to be the subject of heavy discussion, refers to participating countries’ own targets to decrease carbon and peak greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and to achieve a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of the 21 century.
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions noted, “The Paris Agreement is a treaty under worldwide law, but only certain provisions are legally binding”.
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The world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, China, was criticized for trying to water down requirements for a common emissions-and-targets reporting system and opposing a process to require countries to update emissions-reductions goals every five years, advocating instead for voluntary updates. Steven Guilbeault, Senior Director of the Quebec environmental group Équiterre, said: “Countries will be legally bound to put forward targets, but these targets will not be legally binding in the sense that the United Nations can not go into Washington or Ottawa or Paris and police what countries are doing”.
Later talking to reporters, Javadekar reiterated the Paris accord is a “legally binding” agreement that covers both developed and developing countries with the aim of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change.
“The agreement is based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)”.
Countries have agreed to keep the global temperature from rising “well below” 2 degree Celsius and to take efforts to limit it to 1.5 degree Celsius.
The Paris Agreement preamble (which is not binding) includes a goal of developed countries funding a $100 billion transitional fund to help developing countries become developed without a heavy reliance on cheap fossil fuels. Dr Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, says the objective is “remarkable”. It recognises the right of the developing countries to development and their efforts to harmonise development with environment while protecting the interests of the most vulnerable, he said. “Greenpeace International executive director Kumi Naidoo said, “The Paris Agreement is only one step on a long road, and there are parts of it that frustrate and disappoint me, but it is progress”.
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“…it is about building ever more support by non-state actors who are aligning with government policy as never before”.
