Climate Expert: Still Plenty Of Work To Do After Paris Summit

Current national climate pledges put the world on a path to a 3-degree C. rise in temperatures, according to United Nations assessments. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at University of Rhode Island.

After two decades of work, the world has its first truly global plan to address climate change. For instance, America has emitted 411 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide between 1850 and 2011, whereas India has emitted only 53 billion tonnes and the whole of African continent just 50 billion tonnes in the same period.

The next big wave of that is planned for May next year, with plans afoot for a series of actions – from Indonesia to Turkey, Nigeria and Canada – aimed at shutting down “the world’s most unsafe fossil fuel projects” and supporting the most ambitious climate solutions. At the state and local level the operative word is adapt, adapt, adapt, because climate change is coming, like it or not.

And there will be financial aid to developing nations.

But he said, the accord fell short of its loftiest expectations. It also includes a commitment to limit the amount of greenhouse gases released by human activity to the same levels that can be absorbed naturally – e.g.by the world’s forests and oceans – at some point between 2050 and 2100. There are no legally binding emission reduction targets as was the case with Kyoto Protocol, but only voluntary goals that every country has set for itself.

“Even if all the initial targets set in Paris are met, we’ll only be part of the way there when it comes to reducing carbon from the atmosphere”, Obama added.

Once the agreement is in force starting in 2020, each country is required to submit a subsequent round of targets every five years. There are no clear deadlines and quantification of action. “These commitments now need to turn into policy, and policy into investment”.

“The problem’s not solved because of this accord, but make no mistake, the Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis …”

The Paris Agreement confirms that we must do this.

It is now more important than ever that we divest from fossil fuels, and leave them in the ground.

What ultimately will have the most affect is when private investors get involved. Achieving a zero emissions economy is the greatest business opportunity of the century.

The victory in Paris caps a remarkable year. The demand to keep critical green technologies free from intellectual property so that they spread faster has been sidetracked. With all the understandable criticism of the United Nations for being ineffective and inefficient in many areas, it is worth recalling that only the United Nations is able to unite countries from all over the world with such widely varying interests on a topic as complicated and sensitive as climate change. We must continue to hold politicians to account for their carbon promises, both in Holyrood and in Westminster.

Climate change is our generation’s rendezvous with destiny. “And, for which, it was not discussed or considered as to which countries should reduce how much carbon emission”.

Rousseff underscored the importance of the US’ leadership in ensuring a successful outcome to the negotiations.

To the applause and acclamation from delegates of 188 countries gathered in Paris on Saturday, the French Foreign Minister proclaimed the global climate deal approved.

The writer is Fellow, Centre for Media Studies, New Delhi.