In an effort to stave off the possibly devastating effects of climate change, 195 nations have signed on to efforts that will keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) this century, as well as investing in strategies that will further stop the rise by limiting the increase to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Outlined during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris, The Paris Agreement includes strategies for emissions reductions for each country, a system to take stock of the current threat and ensure transparency, financial assistance for countries to improve their resiliency and ability to recover from climate impacts, and financial support for clean technologies to help smooth the transition away from GHG emitting technology.
Additionally, the agreement specifies that nations should peak emissions as soon as possible, and climate plans from individual countries will be resubmitted every five years, with a clause ensuring that future plans will be no less ambitious than existing ones. Countries will also be required to take significant steps before 2020 by working to create a roadmap to fund climate mitigation and adaptation strategies to $100 billion within the next four years.
