What I expect from the United Nations climate change conference in Paris

The summit was opened by the Queen, and also attended by special guests French President Francois Hollande and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

The UN Climate Change Conference in Paris will open Monday with representatives from 195 countries and the European Union gathering together to hammer out a comprehensive, balanced and ambitious deal to address climate change. But if all goes well, it may provide a significant step on the road to solving it, and COP21 will be judged as a success or failure by just how big that step turns out to be.

Slashing carbon emissions from the power sector is needed to help other areas such as transport and heating become cleaner by being powered by non-polluting electricity instead of petrol or gas. It’s the remorseless build-up of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is causing the warming; when accurate measurement of atmospheric Carbon dioxide began in 1958, its level was 315 parts per million, and this year the figure passed 400 ppm. The United States and China, which emit these gases from burning coal, oil and gas, have promised to shift their industries to green, low-carbon fuels.

To date, more than 170 pledges have been made in conjunction with the prospective Paris agreement. Countries are offering their own targets, or intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs). But if anything, as Victor and Leape say, they can hold companies responsible for the promises they make (and way too often, break).

This can not be done at once. It must include regular five-year cycles for governments to assess and strengthen their national climate plans.

In order to meet the legislated fourth carbon budget (2023-2027) emissions must fall by 52 per cent. However, to keep within the emissions limits set by the fourth and fifth carbon budgets, and to stay on track to 2050, the Committee says a number of new policies and clear long-term signals to investors are urgently required.

What are the main outstanding issues for the Paris Conference of Parties?

The objective of the 2015 conference is to achieve, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, a binding and universal agreement on climate, from all the nations of the world.

The document, which is being presented to the 102nd Session of the ACP Council of Ministers, notes that the fight against climate change must be tackled in an “urgent, cohesive and decisive manner at the global, regional and national levels, collectively by both developed and developing countries taking into consideration the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”.

“It will bring pains and pressure in the process, yet, in the end, it will bring the continued and healthy economic development in return”, the premier said.

But he also spoke of fears that a handful countries – which he did not name – may stymie consensus if they felt the deal lacked guarantees.

This time, the ground has been well prepared in advance.

The Met Office recently announced we had passed 1C warming.