The Paris Agreement is an international treaty formulated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2015. It aims to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius as compared to pre-industrial levels. Countries who have ratified the Paris Agreement committed to limiting their greenhouse gas emissions and increasing their efforts to adapt to climate change.
Since its inception, there have been concerns regarding whether countries are fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Agreement. Here is an overview of the Paris Agreement fulfillment as of 2021:
Overall Progress:
According to the NDC Synthesis Report by the UNFCCC, most countries have submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which outline their targets and actions to address climate change. However, the report also highlights that the current pledges are not ambitious enough to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
Some countries have made notable progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, the European Union has committed to reducing its emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Similarly, the United States has rejoined the Paris Agreement and pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
However, some countries have yet to ratify or make substantial contributions to reducing their emissions. For example, China, the world`s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has announced plans to achieve peak emissions by 2030 but has not committed to a specific reduction target.
Financing:
One of the critical aspects of the Paris Agreement is financing the efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Developed countries committed to providing $100 billion annually to support developing countries` climate actions by 2020, but this target has not been met.
In 2021, the G7 group of nations pledged to provide an additional $100 billion in climate finance annually until 2025. However, the details of how this funding would be provided are yet to be determined.
Conclusion:
The Paris Agreement`s main goal is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The initial progress towards fulfilling the commitments has been mixed. Some countries have made noteworthy efforts, while others have been sluggish in tackling climate change.
Furthermore, the current pledges from countries are insufficient to achieve the Paris Agreement`s goals. As such, there is a need for constant reassessment and ambition-raising to achieve the collective climate goals set out by the Paris Agreement.