Global Climate Agreement Reached At United Nations Talks In Paris Saturday Dec 12,2015

Some 196 Countries have agreed a new international deal to tackle climate change following marathon United Nations talks in Paris. Delegates approved the historic agreement on Saturday Dec 12,2015, with the deal aiming to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for the planet heating up.

The agreement was reached after 13 days of grueling negotiations in a suburb of the French capital.

The intention of the summit is to drastically change the way energy is produced and consumed on a global scale, reducing nations' reliance of fossil fuels in favour of clean energy.

The deal called on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but stopped at imposing sanctions on countries that don't.

The accord does represent a breakthrough in climate negotiations. The UN has been working for more than two decades to persuade governments to work together to reduce the man-made emissions that scientists say are warming the planet. The previous emissions treaty, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, included only rich countries and the US never signed on. The last climate summit, in Copenhagen in 2009, ended in failure when countries couldn't agree on a binding emissions pact.

The agreement also aims to keep global temperatures from rising another degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) between now and 2100, a key demand of poor countries ravaged by rising sea levels and other effects of climate change

The deal now needs to be ratified by individual governments — at least 55 countries representing at least 55 % of global emissions — before taking effect

French Foreign Minister and president of the COP21 Laurent Fabius uses to hammer to to mark the adoption of the agreement while United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres looks on during the final conference at the COP21, the United Nations conference on climate change, in Le Bourget, north of Paris, Saturday, Dec.12, 2015

French President Francois Hollande, right, French Foreign Minister and president of the COP21 Laurent Fabius, center, and United Nations Secretary General Ban ki-Moon applaud after the final conference at the COP21, the United Nations conference on climate change, in Le Bourget, north of Paris, Saturday, Dec.12, 2015.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called the agreement an “historical turning point” that could prevent the Earth's seven billion people from the disastrous effects of climate change in the 21st century.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said the universal climate deal agreed in Paris "means that the whole world has signed to play its part in halting climate change", adding: "It's a moment to remember and a huge step forward in helping to secure the future of our planet."

Today's climate change deal means our grandchildren will see we did our duty in securing the future of our planet: https://t.co/DczIDJ671k

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) December 12, 2015

Brazilian Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira added: "Today, we've proven that it's possible for every country to come together, hand in hand, to do its part to fight climate change."

 Activists gather near the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, Saturday, Dec.12, 2015 during the COP21, the United Nations Climate Change Conference

 

Winners and losers in the Paris climate pact

SMALL ISLANDS

The tiniest countries were arguably the biggest winners in the deal. Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Maldives, Kiribati and other island nations pushed hard for two things. First, a global commitment to at least try to limit Earth’s warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial times. Second, recognition that they’re going to need help to deal with damage caused by rising seas, more extreme weather and other impacts of climate change. They got both, though with some caveats.

UNITED STATES

The deal in some ways looks like a wish list from U.S. negotiators. It has no new legally binding emissions or financial targets, which would have prevented President Barack Obama from accepting it without approval from the Republican-controlled Congress. It allows countries to set their own emissions targets, rather than having to negotiate them with other countries. And it requires everyone, not just rich countries, to set emissions targets and be transparent about what they are doing to meet them.

FRANCE

Almost everyone involved in the talks heaped praise on France for making the deal come together. With masterful diplomacy, the French built bridges and gave every country confidence that its voice was being heard. France also earned respect for staying the course despite the bomb-and-gun massacres in Paris just weeks before the climate conference.

CHINA

The world’s biggest greenhouse gas polluter didn’t have to cross any of its red lines. Though a strict firewall between developed and developing countries is gone, the deal still reflects different capabilities of rich and poor throughout the text, a key Chinese demand. Another win for Beijing is that, unlike at the chaotic climate summit six years ago in Copenhagen, China wasn’t seen as blocking the talks in Paris.

INDIA

Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar blended praise with criticism in his post-deal speech, suggesting he had mixed feelings about the outcome. Knowing its emissions are expected to peak later than those of other major economies, India made sure the text includes some leeway for developing nations. It reluctantly accepted the 1.5 degree goal and failed to get the deal to oblige rich countries to provide clean technology free of intellectual property rights to poor ones.

EUROPEAN UNION

The Europeans didn’t come out of Paris looking like the leaders they want to be and in many cases are on climate change. They helped form a “high-ambition coalition” of rich and poor countries, but it wasn’t clear whether the alliance was anything but symbolic. The EU successfully introduced a mechanism in the deal designed to ramp up emissions targets over time, but caved on demands that the targets be legally binding.

SAUDI ARABIA

Oil-rich Saudi Arabia argued against the 1.5-degree temperature target and a long-term goal to phase out emissions. It lost both battles. However, the long-term goal doesn’t specifically mention emissions from fossil fuels, a small win for the Saudis.

FOSSIL FUELS

The biggest loser in the Paris agreement could be the fossil fuel industry. The deal signals to businesses that governments will enact policies over time to promote a shift toward cleaner energy sources, such as wind and solar power. Of course, it remains to be seen whether they follow up on their pledges. In response to the deal, the World Coal Association referred to projections that “electricity generation from coal would grow by 24 per cent by 2040” even with the emissions targets countries have set so far.