International Climate Change Agreements

Chronology of Major Climate Change Conferences and Treaties

Key climate change agreements have emerged from the United Nations Conferences of the Parties (COP), informed by the scientific assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Noteworthy milestones include the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which laid the foundation for international climate action; the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which established legally binding emission reduction commitments for developed countries; the 2009 COP15 in Copenhagen, which concluded with a non-binding Copenhagen Accord; the 2012 COP18 in Doha, which extended the Kyoto Protocol through the Doha Amendment; and the 2015 COP21 in Paris, which resulted in the landmark Paris Agreement, requiring all countries to formulate and communicate their greenhouse gas reduction targets.

The Paris Agreement: A Pivotal Step in Climate Change Mitigation

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, was a pivotal moment in climate change mitigation efforts, as it required all signatory countries to establish and pursue national greenhouse gas reduction targets. Developed countries also pledged financial support to assist developing nations in their mitigation and adaptation efforts. Although the Paris Agreement is legally binding, it does not include sanctions for non-compliance. The United States, under the administration of President Donald Trump, announced its intention to withdraw from the agreement, which underscored the challenges of maintaining international cooperation on climate change. The U.S. has since rejoined the Paris Agreement under President Joe Biden's administration.

Results of the COP26 Glasgow Conference

The COP26 summit, held in Glasgow in 2021 after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, culminated in the Glasgow Climate Pact. The pact included commitments to enhance financial support for climate adaptation, a declaration of cooperation between the United States and China on emission reduction, and pledges from various nations to address deforestation, methane emissions, and the use of coal. Despite these commitments, an IPCC report indicated that the critical threshold of a 1.5°C temperature increase could be surpassed within the next two decades, necessitating more ambitious emission reduction efforts.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of International Climate Change Agreements

The impact of International Climate Change Agreements is evident in both the achievements and shortcomings that have followed the Paris Agreement. While the agreement garnered widespread participation and included commitments from major emitters like the USA and China, its effectiveness is limited by the absence of enforcement mechanisms and the possibility of setting less ambitious emission reduction targets. Current projections suggest that, without increased efforts, global temperatures could rise by 2.1°C by the end of the century. However, if countries adhere to their net-zero commitments, this increase could potentially be limited to below 1.8°C.

Obstacles to the Success of Climate Change Agreements

The success of International Climate Change Agreements is often challenged by national sovereignty concerns and skepticism about climate change. Some nations perceive global governance initiatives as encroachments on their autonomy, and the rise of populist movements has led to political leaders questioning the severity of climate change, as exemplified by the initial U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. These dynamics highlight the complexities of fostering collective action on a global scale and underscore the need for robust international cooperation and commitment to effectively address climate change.