Parijsovereenkomst

The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change that was adopted by 196 countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015. The agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Paris Agreement was adopted under the UNFCCC, which was established in 1992 and has been the primary international mechanism for addressing climate change.

The Paris Agreement is a landmark agreement because it is the first comprehensive international agreement to address climate change that is legally binding for all parties. It is also unique because it is the first time that all countries in the world have come together to address a global challenge. The agreement is based on the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities," which means that developed countries, which have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions, have a greater responsibility to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Paris Agreement has three main goals: to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius; to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change; and to make finance flows consistent with a pathway towards a low carbon, climate-resilient future. To achieve these goals, the agreement includes a range of measures, including the establishment of a global stocktake to monitor progress towards the goals, the enhancement of national climate plans, and the provision of financial support to developing countries.

The Paris Agreement entered into force on November 4, 2016, when it was ratified by 55 countries, including the United States. Since then, more countries have joined the agreement, and as of June 2023, 196 countries have ratified or acceded to the agreement. The agreement is a living document that can be amended by the parties as needed to ensure that it remains effective in addressing the challenges of climate change. The Paris Agreement is a critical step in the global effort to address climate change and protect the planet for future generations.