A historic agreement on climate change was reached in December in Paris, concluding a negotiation round opened in Durban in 2011. The Paris Agreement is the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal. The outcome also delivers on all of the EU’s top priorities: commitments by all Parties, a long-term goal, a robust review cycle with the flexibility to strengthen ambition over time, and strong common transparency and accountability framework. The decisive role played by French presidency before and especially during this conference of the parties (COP) is hard to overstate. The EU’s leadership role in shaping the deal was undisputable. The cooperation between the Commission, the Council Presidency and Member States was close and effective throughout the negotiations, and was key to forming the High Ambition Coalition which was critical in securing a global deal.
Shared vision and ambition
The Agreement sets out a qualitative long-term emissions reductions goal in line with the objective to keep global temperature increase ‘well below 2°C’ and pursue efforts to keep it to 1.5°C. Although the goal is qualitative, a reference to the best available science indirectly brings the range of 40–70% reductions in 2050 compared to 2010 levels. The Agreement also foresees that Parties would prepare national 2050 strategies by 2020.
In order to achieve this goal, governments will set or update emissions reductions targets. Starting from 2023, Parties will come together every 5 years in a ‘global stocktake’, based on latest science and implementation to date, which will track progress and consider emissions reductions, adaptation and support provided. This is to inform enhancing Parties’ efforts in all these domains.
Parties will have a legally binding obligation to pursue domestic mitigation measures with the aim of achieving the objectives of their contributions. A common fit for purpose enhanced transparency and accountability framework applicable to all is set up to ensure oversight on Parties’ efforts. Transparency-related capacity building will be made available to developing countries that need it.
Solidarity
The solidarity package includes notably provisions on climate finance and on addressing needs linked to adaptation and loss and damage from climate change impacts. Although developed countries are to continue to provide financing to other countries, other Parties are encouraged to do so voluntarily. Developed countries intend to continue their collective mobilisation goal of USD 100bn/year up until 2025; a new and higher collective quantified goal is to be set by 2025.
Regarding adaptation to climate change impacts, the Agreement establishes a global qualitative goal supposed to help ensure adequate responses. Parties take on commitments to enhance cooperation, implement national actions and communicate priorities, needs, support, and actions. The Agreement gives prominence to the issue of loss and damage from climate change impacts particularly important for the most vulnerable countries, but explicitly excludes liability and compensation. A task force on displacement due to climate change is established.
There are also additional measures on technology development and transfer and on administrative capacity-building to assist developing countries.
The Paris package also includes decisions to scale up pre-2020 actions on emissions reductions, adaptation and finance.
Next steps
The detail will be negotiated over the next years through agreed work programmes. An Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) is set up for that purpose and to prepare the implementation of the Agreement more generally. Its first meeting is expected in June 2016. A high-level signature ceremony for the Agreement will take place on 22 April 2016 in New York.
