Paris Agreement: A Thirteen Point Summary | AN INTERDISCIPLINARIAN'S PERSPECTIVE 3/22/17, 10)53 PM

Paris Agreement: A Thirteen

Point Summary
December 12, 2015 Jeremiah O. Asaka Climate Change, COP21, Human
Security, Paris Agreement, Sub-Saharan Africa, UNFCCC, United Nations

Today 195 countries expressed their

resolve to act on climate change by
adopting a long awaited climate change
accord. The accord is by all means
historic as it comes at a time when
climate change acting as a threat
multiplier presents one of the greatest
challenges to human security
French President Francois Hollande (2-R), Executive
Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate
particularly in sub-saharan Africa in the
Change (UNFCCC) Christiana Figueres (L), French 21st century. This piece presents a
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (C) and United Nations
thirteen point summary of key
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (2-L) after the
adoption of the COP21 final agreement at the plenary provisions of the historic climate change
session room at the World Climate Change Conference accord as follows:
2015 (COP21) in Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, 12
December 2015. The 21st Conference of the Parties
The accord is officially known as the
(COP21) was held in Paris from 30 November to 12
December. EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON Paris Agreement; arrived on at the close
NYTCREDIT: Christophe Petit Tesson/European
of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP
Pressphoto Agency Source: New York Times
21) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on December 12 2015 in Paris,
France.

It seeks to reduce the risks and impacts of climate change through: keeping
global average temperature well below 20 C above pre-industrial levels; and
limiting temperature increase to 1.50 C above pre-industrial levels.

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Paris Agreement: A Thirteen Point Summary | AN INTERDISCIPLINARIAN'S PERSPECTIVE 3/22/17, 10)53 PM

It is based on an equity ideal and principle of common but differentiated

responsibilities and capacities, which is reflective of global realities within
and between countries. Basically, all countries now have a responsibility to
act on climate change.

It requires developed countries to provide financial resources to assist

developing countries meet their climate change adaptation and mitigation
goals; and relies on the UNFCCCs financial mechanism to achieve this.

It also requires all Parties to prepare and submit nationally determined

contributions, which will be recorded in a public registry by the UNFCCCs
secretariat.

It establishes a global goal on adaptation focused on enhancing adaptive

capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate
change.

It also establishes a technology framework to guide the work of the

technology mechanism of the UNFCCC.

It recognizes that capacity building should be country driven, based on and

responsive to national needs, and foster country ownership particularly in the
case of developing countries.

It establishes a transparency framework to guide the implementation of its

provisions so as to enhance mutual trust and confidence among Parties to the
Convention as well as Parties to the Paris Agreement.

It recognizes the essence of monitoring and evaluation and has set the first
global stocktaking of the implementation of the Paris Agreement for 2023.
Subsequent stocktaking is set to be done after every five years unless
otherwise decided by a Conference of Parties to Paris Agreement.

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Paris Agreement: A Thirteen Point Summary | AN INTERDISCIPLINARIAN'S PERSPECTIVE 3/22/17, 10)53 PM

It shall be open for signature at the United Nations headquarters in New York
from April 22, 2016 to April 21, 2017. A day after the close of the signature
period it will be open for accession.

The Agreement will come into force on the thirtieth day after the date when at
least 55 Parties to the UNFCCC have deposited their instruments of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

Last but not least, it is non-binding and Parties to UNFCCC are not
necessarily automatically Parties to the Paris Agreement. Parties can
withdraw from the Agreement. Moreover, Parties to the Paris Agreement and
UNFCCC who choose to withdraw from UNFCCC shall be considered to have
withdrawn from the Paris Agreement.

Click here to download the Paris Agreement.

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