First global climate agreement adopted
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris has adopted the first climate agreement which commits all countries. With this agreement the international community sets itself the internationally binding target of limiting global warming to below 2 degree Celsius. It also lays down that the world must become greenhouse gas-neutral by the second half of the century.
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks commented: "We have made history today, all of us together. Billions of people have waited a long time for the international community to become active. Today we can say: We're off at last. For the first time in history all countries worldwide are setting off together to save the planet. We have tackled the issues for a long time and today achieved a strong agreement. This is a historic turning point."
For the first time, the upper limit of 2 degree Celsius is laid down in an agreement under international law. In addition, countries shall endeavour to limit global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius. The Paris Agreement links the upper limit with a specific action target: global GHG neutrality by the second half of the century. By then, the burden on the atmosphere must be reduced to zero. Federal Minister Hendricks continued: "This means good-bye to fossil fuels - in other words decarbonisation. However, since the agreement covers all greenhouse gases, it even goes beyond that."
The Paris Agreement maps out quite specifically how this target is to be achieved. As of 2020, every five years the countries shall update their nationally determined contributions, which must be as ambitious as possible. That is to say they must be more, not less ambitious than the preceding ones. In addition, every country has to report its GHG emissions to ensure that progress is not only made on paper but in reality.
The agreement contains the firm commitment to support developing countries with regard to climate action and mitigation measures. The international community must also support the poorest and most vulnerable countries in coping with damage and loss due to climate change, e.g. via climate risk insurances and better damage prevention.
The Paris Agreement overcomes the outdated division between developed and developing countries. Minister Hendricks: "We have witnessed in the last few days the formation of the High Ambition Coalition comprising both rich and poor, large and small countries. We will build on it in our aspiration for ambitious climate action and global solidarity". Instead of the old division between developed and developing countries a fair differentiation will ensure that contributions are determined by the respective capabilities.