Paris Climate Accord and its future

The Paris Climate Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020, marks the United States’ official exit from the Paris Climate Agreement. President Trump had announced in 2017 that he was withdrawing the US from the climate agreement. Since becoming the President, he’s rolled back many climate-related policies the Barack Obama administration put in place. Let’s read in detail what Paris Climate Agreement is and why is important for the world…

The Paris Climate Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It planned to reduce greenhouse gases. The agreement was signed in Paris in 2016, by 197 countries.

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A carbon-free future

The Paris agreement deal aims to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, while pursuing means to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.

Under the Paris Agreement, each country must determine, plan, and regularly report on the contribution that it undertakes to mitigate global warming.This is the first global affirmation that the world will move away from fossil fuels.

Trump’s denial of climate change

Trump—a climate denier who has claimed climate change is a “hoax” perpetrated by China—announced in June 2017 his intent to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement. Trump argues that the agreement is disadvantageous for the US, while it gives benefits to countries like China, Russia and India.

US officially left the agreement on November 4, 2020—a day after the Presidential election. Experts say a future President can rejoin the accord.Joe Biden, who is all set to become the new President of US, has promised to rejoin the global agreement. He has proposed a USD 5 trillion plan to combat climate change. The US is the second leading producer of all carbon dioxide emissions globally, behind China.

Key points

Temperatures by 2100

-Keep warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. Continue all efforts to limit the rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius

Finance

-Rich countries must provide 100 billion dollars from 2020, as a “floor”. Amount to be updated by 2025

Emission objectives

– Aim for greenhouse gases emissions to peak “as soon as possible”
– From 2050: rapid reductions to achieve a balance between emissions from human activity and the amount that can be captured by “sinks”

Be a young climate warrior

Turn off the lights: Remembered to turn off the lights whenever we leave a room, the impact could be pretty big.

Skip the bottled water. Cut out the disposable plastic. Instead use reusable water bottle, this will help you save money while helping save the planet.

Bring your own bag. Rather than relying on plastic bags when you go shopping, pick up a reusable bag. Remember to carry them every time you go shopping.

Be a water warrior. Fresh, clean water is hard to come by in some parts of the world. Encourage people at home to install low-flow taps. Don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth.

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