Originally published on the CGS blog on December 15, 2015.
The Paris climate summit known as COP21 came to an end on Saturday afternoon, December 12, 2015. This was a day later than originally planned to allow for last-minute compromises and an agreement with a few States, mainly Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, so that they would not block a consensus agreement.
All 195 States plus the European Union had to agree. A treaty is not something that can be created by a majority vote as can be done in a UN General Assembly resolution. On April 22, 2016, there will be a high-level signature ceremony. The Treaty must be ratified by 55 States and will come into force in 2020.
The treaty arising from COP21 will replace the Kyoto Protocol. The new treaty is relatively short and clear. However, it is the “Preamble” of 140 paragraphs–not legally binding but where all the analysis and aims are set out–that caused difficulties to reach consensus among States with diverse interpretations of “national interest,” of short- and longer-term perspectives, and of differing access to national expertise.
The preamble has been under negotiations for the past two years. Although most points had been agreed upon well before the Paris conference, some crucial aspects had to be negotiated during the two-week session among heads of government and teams of negotiators, often with a Foreign Minister present.
Although it was decided that there would be no mention of migration-refugee flows–refugees of neither climate damage nor terrorism–the November terrorist shootings in Paris required very tight security from the French police outside the conference center and from UN guards inside the building.
Fear was a widespread emotion reflected in the first round of December 6 voting to the French regional assemblies. The National Front, a far-right xenophobic party, received a larger-than-usual number of votes. Fortunately, in the second round of voting on December 13, the National Front was defeated and will lead no regional assembly. Although delegates to UN meetings come with instructions from their government, all feel the atmosphere of the place in which they are meeting.
The Paris agreement can be an important step toward a sustainable world society, especially when seen in the framework of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals recently agreed upon by these same States. The effectiveness of the steps toward transformation will depend significantly upon non-governmental efforts at the local and national level.
As could be expected, the agreement is a framework for “country-driven strategies”–not a UN-imposed plan of action. “Common but differentiated responsibilities” is the key concept, with “differentiated” being the key word. The emphasis is on “nationally-determined contributions.” However, after 2020, this “pledge” aspect will have an international review mechanism to see to what extent the national pledges have been met and if the world situation requires new measures.
An important aspect of this review process is the emphasis on transparency so there can be adequate monitoring and verification of emission reductions. This emphasis on transparency and public access to information gives legitimacy to strong NGO monitoring of climate change processes and proposals for improvements. In addition, the Paris preamble recognizes that there are many stakeholders in climate change issues beyond governments: the corporate sector, cities, and academic institutions all have important parts to play.
More than in the past, attention was placed on ecosystems rather than on just one factor at a time, such as forests and the dangers of deforestation. An ecosystem approach requires looking at forests, soil and water protection, housing, transportation, technology and capacity-building for those working on climate and environmental issues.
COP21 has been important for building awareness and encouraging cooperation among UN agencies, national governments and NGOs. Our role as NGO representatives is to build on this positive momentum, to increase our expertise and to network more closely with groups in the most vulnerable zones. Paris was an example of dedication and foresight among all the actors. The road ahead to a sustainable world society with green technology may still be long, but the direction is set.
