More and more people in all parts of the world have realized that global climate change has started in a frightening way and that all countries are affected. Extreme weather events such as devastating droughts and storms have drastically increased the willingness to take more decisive measures to protect the climate. Most governments, as well as numerous companies, have realized that climate change is destroying the economic and social foundations of life and that a determined climate policy is essential.
Nevertheless, it was almost a miracle that a new climate agreement could be passed at the end of the UN climate conference in Paris in December 2015. The agreement finally came into force in November 2016, after having been ratified by more than 55% of the signatory states responsible for at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The UN basic information 54 “The UN climate agreement of Paris” describes the long way of the climate conferences, their progress and regressions which led to the Paris climate agreement as well as the preparation of the conference and the struggle for formulations in the text of the agreement. In addition to the actors in the negotiations and the implementation of the climate agreement, the basic UN information presents the key points of the agreement:
- Reducing the global temperature rise below 2 degrees and efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees
- Obligation to support poor countries in reducing climate-damaging emissions and adapting to climate change
- Taking human rights into account in combating climate change
- Taking measures to improve resilience to climate change