US and China Announce they will both Sign Paris Agreement

March 31, 2016

Washington, D.C. — The United States and China issued a joint statement today announcing the two nations will sign the Paris Agreement (see summary below), last year’s international agreement to lower greenhouse gas emissions, on Friday, April 22 (this Earth Day).

Paris Agreement Key Elements:

 

At the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal.

 

The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C.

The agreement is due to enter into force in 2020.

The Paris Agreement is a bridge between today's policies and climate-neutrality before the end of the century.

 

Mitigation: reducing emissions

 

Governments agreed

• a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels;
• to aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change;
• on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognizing that this will take longer for developing countries;
• to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science.

Before and during the Paris conference, countries submitted comprehensive national climate action plans (INDCs). These are not yet enough to keep global warming below 2°C, but the agreement traces the way to achieving this target.

 

Transparency and global stock take

 

Governments agreed to

• come together every 5 years to set more ambitious targets as required by science;
• report to each other and the public on how well they are doing to implement their targets;
• track progress towards the long-term goal through a robust transparency and accountability system.

 

Adaptation

 

Governments agreed to

• strengthen societies' ability to deal with the impacts of climate change;  
• provide continued and enhanced international support for adaptation to developing countries.  
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Loss and damage

 

The agreement also

• recognizes the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change;
• acknowledges the need to cooperate and enhance the understanding, action and support in different areas such as early warning systems, emergency preparedness and risk insurance.

 

Support

 

• The EU and other developed countries will continue to support climate action to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts in developing countries.
• Other countries are encouraged to provide or continue to provide such support voluntarily.
• Developed countries intend to continue their existing collective goal to mobilize USD 100 billion per year until 2025 when a new collective goal will be set.

This initiative of the Peruvian and French COP Presidencies brought countries, cities, businesses and civil society members together to accelerate cooperative climate action in support of the new agreement.

The EU has been at the forefront of international efforts towards a global climate deal.

Following limited participation in the Kyoto Protocol and the lack of agreement in Copenhagen in 2009, the EU has been building a broad coalition of developed and developing countries in favor of high ambition that shaped the successful outcome of the Paris conference.

The EU was the first major economy to submit its intended contribution to the new agreement in March 2015. It is already taking steps to implement its target to reduce emissions by at least 40% by 2030.

 

• The agreement will be deposited at the UN in New York and opened for signature for one year on 22 April 2016.
• The agreement will enter into force after 55 countries that account for at least 55% of global emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification.

Source:  European Commission