Answer By law4u team
The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a landmark global treaty aiming to combat climate change by limiting global temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Main Goals and Commitments
Limit Global Warming
- Keep the rise in global average temperature to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
- Each country submits its own climate action plan outlining steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts.
- NDCs are updated every five years to increase ambition.
Climate Finance
- Developed countries commit to mobilizing financial resources to support developing countries in mitigation and adaptation efforts.
- Includes technology transfer and capacity-building.
Transparency and Accountability
- Establishes a robust transparency framework for tracking progress and reporting emissions.
- Encourages international cooperation and peer review.
Adaptation and Resilience
- Promotes measures to strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts.
- Encourages integration of adaptation into national policies.
Significance
- Marks the first universal, legally binding global climate agreement.
- Encourages broad participation from both developed and developing nations.
- Focuses on sustainable development and balancing climate action with economic growth.
Example
India’s NDC under the Paris Agreement includes:
- Increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity.
- Enhancing energy efficiency and expanding renewable energy use.
- Implementing afforestation and reforestation programs to increase carbon sinks.
- Promoting climate-resilient agriculture and water resource management.