The Paris Agreement is a significant global treaty that aims to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It was adopted on December 12, 2015, by 196 countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, France.
The Paris Agreement was not started by a single individual but was the result of years of negotiations among different countries` leaders and experts in the field of climate change. The roots of the agreement can be traced back to the Rio Earth Summit of 1992, where the UNFCCC was created, and parties agreed to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.
After the Rio Summit, several meetings were held to discuss climate change, including the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, which set binding targets for developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. However, the Kyoto Protocol failed to include other major emitters such as the United States, which withdrew from the agreement in 2001.
Following the Kyoto Protocol`s failure, the UNFCCC continued to hold annual climate conferences known as COPs. The 2009 Copenhagen summit, which aimed to deliver a legally binding agreement on climate change, also failed to achieve the desired outcome.
However, the 2015 Paris climate conference was successful in reaching an agreement on climate change. The negotiations leading up to the summit were led by the UNFCCC, and several countries played a critical role in securing the agreement, including the United States, China, and the European Union.
The Paris Agreement`s final text was adopted by consensus, with all 196 countries agreeing to its terms. The agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It also includes provisions for countries to regularly review and strengthen their climate targets and financial support for developing nations to transition to low-carbon economies.
In conclusion, while no single individual started the Paris Agreement, it was the result of years of negotiations and discussions among various countries and experts in the field of climate change. The Paris Agreement represents a significant step forward in the global fight against climate change and demonstrates the power of international cooperation and collaboration in addressing this critical issue.
