COP21: Key outcomes - Part 1

To claps and cheers, on the evening of Saturday 12th of December,  a new landmark climate deal was born.

Barack Obama hailed the Paris agreement "the best chance we save the one planet we have" but noted that "the problem is not solved because of the accord". 

India's Prime minister Narendra Modi tweeted that COP21 had "no winners or losers. Climate justice has won & we are all working towards a greener future".

Matt McGrath, an environmental correspondent for the BBC summed up his thought, saying "I'm not a fan of hyperbole, but it would be churlish to say the adoption of the Paris Agreement was anything other than a globally historic moment". 

India's Prime minister Narendra Modi tweeted his reaction to COP21.

But before I analyse some of the deals components in greater detail - what are the key points? I have copied the key text surrounding what I think are the main areas and provided some additional commentary to help give context.

Keeping temperature rises "well below" 2C:

Article 2 of the Pairs Agreement, (UNFCCC, 2015)

Article 2 sets out to keep global temperatures "well below" 2C above pre-industrial levels and endeavors to limit them to 1.5C. This is one area where I am pleasantly surprised by the outcomes of COP21 and what it has achieved. A 1.5C target would have seemed unthinkable a few months ago and it is a big step froward from the 2C target agreed at Copenhagen. As my blog argued 2C is not enough and the risks associated with climate change are moderated with warming limited to 1.5C. However according to the Met Office global temperatures are already set to breach the 1C threshold in 2015. 

Long term goal of zero net emissions:

Article 4 of the Pairs Agreement, (UNFCCC, 2015)

The agreement, as in accordance with the IPCC (2014) findings, recognises the need for net emissions of zero (balance between anthropogenic sources and greenhouse gas sinks) by the second half of the century. The IPCC have , as part of the agreement been invited to provide a special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5C (because following Copenhagen they have focused on 2C!). Its is also worth noting the differentiation of responsibility - more on this later!

For Part 2: Click here