COP21 Agreement on Saturday, Dec. 12 Is Expected to Be Global Milestone

Summary: The COP21 Agreement presented Saturday, Dec. 21, is expected to be a global milestone centered on a global warming limit of 2 degrees Celsius.

Heads of COP21 delegations at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), Paris, France, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015: Presidencia de la República Mexicana, CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons

The 21st annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is expected to end in resounding success Saturday, Dec. 12, in Paris with the COP21 agreement achieving the global milestone of limiting global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius.

Le Bourget Centre serves as the locale for the conference, known in 2015 as COP21, where 195 countries have been focusing, since Nov. 30, on garnering consensus in successful, climate-resilient strategies for limiting global warming in the 21st century. The aim is for limiting the century’s global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial mean temperature levels. The hope, especially expressed by poor countries threatened by climate change-induced rising sea levels, is for an agreed upon temperature rise of no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-1750 mean temperatures.

The strategies for tackling the challenges of global warming emphasize significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and development of low-carbon, green technologies. A critical factor in crafting a legally binding, realistic, satisfactory agreement is climate finance. Developing countries hold that developed countries need to assist newly industrializing countries in their shift away from fossil fuels by providing funds, resources and training in green technologies.

Throughout the 12 days devoted to stemming the climate change tide, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres has repeated the assurance that “No country, small or large, will be left behind.”

In COP21’s first week, negotiators presented interests of individual countries within the framework of achieving the global milestone of limiting global warming to the range of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-1750 mean temperature levels. COP21’s first week yielded a draft document on Dec. 5.

In COP21’s second week, country ministers scrutinized Dec. 5’s document with the aim of presenting COP21’s delegates with a legally binding, realistic agreement. At a press briefing on Tuesday, Dec. 8, Xie Zhenhua, China’s Special Representative for Climate Change, reported favorably on the progress of ministerial meetings.

Appearing with ministers from Brazil, India, and South Africa as the United Nations’ BASIC bloc, Xie hopefully stated: “I believe that we can find a comprehensive and ambitious, legally binding agreement with no person leaving [sic] behind.”

On COP21’s closing day on Saturday, Dec. 12, Laurent Fabius, COP21 president and France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, has received a resounding applause from delegates for his statement that “The proposed draft agreement is differentiated, is just, sustainable, dynamic, balanced and legally binding. It confirms our central objective that it is vital to limit the increase of the average temperature well below two degrees centigrade and to push to keep it as 1.5 degrees, which would significantly reduce the risks and impacts related to climate change.”

Fabius’ statement of Dec. 12 underscores the immense progress made by COP21 participants within the narrow, 12-day time frame. Nine days earlier, on Friday, Dec. 4, Fabius had challenged negotiators with the observation: “Let me be clear: this is still not enough. The text remains too long and complex. Not enough compromises have been reached on unresolved issues.”

On Saturday, Dec. 12, hopes are high as individuals, groups, and countries around the climate-challenged Earth await COP21's outcome. The positive, can-do spirit that has pervaded COP21's nearly two weeks in the City of Lights hints at the COP21 agreement as a global milestone.

With respect to the ambitious COP21 agreement now presented for approval by delegates, French President François Holland captured the global spirit surrounding COP21 with inspiring words that “You have a chance to change the world.”

(left) Ségolène Royal, France's ecology minister; (right) Laurent Fabius, COP21 president: UN Climate Action @UNFCCC, via Twitter Dec. 12, 2015

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Heads of COP21 delegations at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), Paris, France, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015: Presidencia de la República Mexicana, CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COP21_participants_-_30_Nov_2015_(23430273715).jpg;
Presidencia de la República Mexicana (Presidencia de la República Mexicana), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/presidenciamx/23430273715/

(left) Ségolène Royal, France's ecology minister; (right) Laurent Fabius, COP21 president: UN Climate Action @UNFCCC, via Twitter Dec. 12, 2015, @ https://twitter.com/UNFCCC/status/675632428539596800

For further information:

"'Chance to change the world': Diplomats in Paris unveil draft of climate change pact." First Post > Latest News > World News. Dec. 12, 2015.
Available @ http://www.firstpost.com/world/chance-to-change-the-world-diplomats-in-paris-unveil-draft-of-climate-change-pact-2543430.html

"COP21 proposed deal to keep temperatures below 2C." EuroNews > News > World News. Dec. 12, 2015. Updated Dec. 13, 2015.
Available @ http://www.euronews.com/2015/12/12/cop-21-proposed-deal-to-keep-temperatures-below-2c/

Marriner, Derdriu. "China as COP21 Bridge Between Developed and Developing Countries." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/12/china-as-cop-21-bridge-between.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "COP21 Opening Day Showcased World Leaders and Now Negotiations Begin." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/12/cop21-opening-day-showcased-world.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "India Will Reduce Coal Emissions If COP21 Guarantees Financial Assist." Earth and Space News. Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/12/india-will-reduce-coal-emissions-if.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Laurent Fabius: COP21 Negotiations Are Still Not Enough." Earth and Space News. Friday, Dec. 4, 2015.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/12/laurent-fabius-cop21-negotiations-are.html

UN Climate Action @UNFCCC. ".@LaurentFabius 'The proposed text contains elements that we thought were impossible to achieve before' #COP21." Twitter. Dec. 12, 2015.
Available @ https://twitter.com/UNFCCC/status/675632428539596800