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2015UnitedNationsClimateChangeConferenceWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

2015UnitedNationsClimateChangeConference
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

The2015UnitedNations
ClimateChangeConference,
COP21orCMP11washeldin
Paris,France,from30
Novemberto12December
2015.Itwasthe21styearly
sessionoftheConferenceofthe
Partiestothe1992United
NationsFrameworkConvention
onClimateChange(UNFCCC)
andthe11thsessionofthe
MeetingofthePartiestothe
1997KyotoProtocol.[1]

UnitedNationsClimateChangeConference

Theconferencereachedits
objective,toforthefirsttime
achieveaglobalagreementon
reductionofclimatechangein
theParisAgreement,whichwas
adoptedwithacclamationby
nearlyallstates.[2]The
agreementwillbecomelegally
bindingifatleast55countries
thatrepresentatleast55percent
ofglobalgreenhouse
Date
30November2015
emissions[3][4][5]becomeaparty
12December2015
toitthroughsignaturefollowed
byratification,acceptance,
Location
LeBourgetinthesuburbsofParis,France
approvalorthroughaccessionin
Alsoknown COP21/CMP11
NewYorkbetween22April
as
2016to21April2017.Itis
expectedtotakeeffectin
Participants PartiestotheUNFCCC
[6]
2020. Accordingtothe
Website
Venuesite(http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en)
[7]
organizingcommittee, the
UNFCCCsite
expectedkeyresultwastolimit
(http://unfccc.int/meetings/paris_nov_2015/meeting/8926.php)
theglobalwarming,by2100,
comparedtopreindustrialto
below2degreesCelsius.Thegoaltolimittemperatureincreasewith2degreeswashowever
supplementedintheadoptedversionoftheParisAgreement,[3]withthestatementthatparties"pursue
to"limitthetemperatureincreaseto1.5degreesCelsius.[2]A1.5Cgoalwillrequireazerolevelin
emissionssometimesbetween2030and2050accordingtosomescientists.[2]However,nodetailed
timeplanorcountryspecificgoalsforemissionswerestatedinthefinalversionoftheParisAgreement
asopposedtothepreviousKyotoprotocol.Azerolevelshouldbereachedduringthesecondhalfofthe
centuryaccordingtotheagreement.

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Priortotheconference,146nationalclimatepanelspubliclypresenteddraftnationalclimate
contributions(socalledIntendedNationallyDeterminedContributions,INDCs).Thesesuggested
commitmentswereestimatedtolimitglobalwarmingto2.7degreesCelsiusby2100.[8]Forexample,
theEUsuggestedINDCisacommitmenttoa40percentreductioninemissionsby2030comparedto
1990.[9]Beforethismeeting,anassemblyhastalkedaboutglobalwarminginMediterraneanin
Marseilles,France,duringtheMedCop21on4and5June2015.ApreCOPmeetingwasheldinBonn,
19to23October2015,withenvironmentministersfromaroundtheworld.

Contents
1 Background
1.1 RoleofChinaandtheU.S.
2 Locationandparticipation
3 Negotiations
3.1 Draftdeclarations
4 Financing
5 Demonstrations
6 Parisagreement
6.1 Nonbindingcommitments,lackofenforcementmechanisms
7 Seealso
8 References
9 Externallinks

Background
Accordingtotheorganizingcommittee,theobjectiveofthe2015conferenceistoachieve,forthefirst
timeinover20yearsofUNnegotiations,abindinganduniversalagreementonclimate,fromallthe
nationsoftheworld.[10]PopeFrancispublishedanencyclicalcalledLaudatosi'intended,inpart,to
influencetheconference.Theencyclicalcallsforactionagainstclimatechange.TheInternationalTrade
UnionConfederationhascalledforthegoaltobe"zerocarbon,zeropoverty",andthegeneralsecretary
SharanBurrowhasrepeatedthatthereare"nojobsonadeadplanet".

RoleofChinaandtheU.S.

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ThinktankssuchastheWorldPensions
Council(WPC)havearguedthatthekeysto
successlieinconvincingU.S.andChinese
policymakers:aslongaspolicymakersin
WashingtonandBeijing[dont]putalltheir
politicalcapitalbehindtheadoptionof
ambitiouscarbonemissioncappingtargets,
thelaudableeffortsofotherG20
governments[will]remainintherealmof
piouswishes[11]

Locationandparticipation
ThelocationofUNFCCCtalksisrotatedby
regionsthroughoutUnitedNationscountries.
The2015conferencewasheldatLeBourget
from30November[12]to11December2015.
Franceservesasamodelcountryfor
delegatesattendingCOP21becauseitisone
ofthefewdevelopedcountriesintheworld
todecarbonizeelectricityproductionand
fossilfuelenergywhilestillprovidingahigh
standardofliving.[13]Asof2012,France
generatedover90%ofitselectricityfrom
zerocarbonsources,includingnuclear,
hydroelectric,andwind.

Showsthetop40CO2emittingcountriesandrelatedinthe
worldin1990and2012,includingpercapitafigures.The
dataistakenfromtheEUEdgardatabase
(http://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/overview.php?v=CO2ts1990
2013).

Theconferencetookplacetwoweeksaftera
seriesofterroristattackstookplacein
centralParis.Securitywastightenedahead
oftheeventaccordingly,with30,000policeofficersand285securitycheckpointsdeployedacrossthe
countryuntilaftertheconferenceends.[14]

Negotiations
Theoverarchinggoalof
theConventionisto
reducegreenhousegas
emissionstolimitthe
globaltemperature
increaseto2C(3.6F)
abovepreindustrial
COP21:Headsofdelegations
levels.[15]However,
ChristianaFigueres
acknowledgedintheclosingbriefingatthe2012Doha
conference"thecurrentpledgesunderthesecondcommitment

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Delegates

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periodoftheKyotoprotocolareclearlynotenoughtoguarantee
thatthetemperaturewillstaybelow2Candthereisanever
increasinggapbetweentheactionofcountriesandwhatthe
sciencetellsus."
Duringpreviousclimatenegotiations,countriesagreedtooutline
actionstheyintendtotakewithinaglobalagreementby1
October2015.ThesecommitmentsareknownasIntended
NationallyDeterminedContributionsorINDCs.[16]Together,the
INDCswouldbringdownglobalwarmingfromanestimated4
5+C(by2100)to2.7C,andreduceemissionspercapitaby
9%by2030,whileprovidinghopeintheeyesoftheconference
organizersforfurtherreductionsinthefuturethatwouldallow
meetinga2Ctarget.[17]

EnriquePeaNieto,Franois
Hollande,AngelaMerkel,Michelle
Bachelet

Draftdeclarations
Asisusualbeforesuchmajorconferences,majorNGOsand
groupsofgovernmentshavedraftedandpublishedawidevariety
ofdeclarationstheyintendtoseekaconsensuson,attheParis
conferenceitself.Theseincludeatleastthefollowingmajor
efforts:

PressconferenceattheChinese
pavilion.

ICLEIatitsWorldCongress,launchedthenew
TransformativeActionsProgram(TAP)intendedto
progresslocalandsubnationalactionaheadofCOP21[18]tobuildonits2005COP11(Montreal
summit)commitments,[19]TripleBottomLineframeworkarisingfromthat,andotherlocal
efforts.
EuropeancapitalandlargecitiesforclimateactionenroutetoCOP21Declaration,
adopted26March2015by"representativesofEUcapitalsandlargecitiesof28EU
MemberStatesattheMayorsMeetingorganizedbyAnneHidalgo,MayorofParis,and
IgnazioMarino,MayorofRome,whoarguethat"urbanareasexposedtoclimatechangeare
alsoessentialinnovationtestingzones",[20]whichisthefocusoftheICLEImechanisms,
metricsand2005declaration.
Private,corporateandprivatepublicpartnerships
AttheWorldSummitofRegionsforClimate(WSRC)inParis2014,Arnold
Schwarzenegger,theFounderofR20,invitedacoalitionofgovernments,businessesand
investorstosignadraft"ParisDeclaration"atWorldClimateSummitinLima2014,World
GreenEconomySummit2015inDubaiandCOP21.[21]
TheShiftprojectbyFrenchbusinessorganizations.[22]
Indigenouspeopleseffortsinclude:
Asianindigenouspeoplesdeclaration[23]
IPACCactingforAfricanindigenouspeoples[24]inparticularbutalsoworldwide[25]
Avastrangeofgroupsandpeoples"seekingpresenceinpost2015"development,e.g.the
CentreforAutonomyandDevelopmentofIndigenousPeopleinNicaragua[26]
ManyindigenouspolitiesandsovereigntiesseekingrecognitionundertheDeclarationon
theRightsofIndigenousPeoples[27]whodemandedrecognitionandchangealsoin2014at
the2014UnitedNationsClimateChangeConferenceinLima.[28]In2015thiswillinclude
thosewithspecificgrievances,e.g.theWabanakiConfederacyinitsoppositiontohydraulic
fracturingandEnergyEast,hasannounceditwillsendadiplomaticrepresentativeregarding
eventsin2013inNewBrunswickthathighlightedtherelativeimbalanceofpowertoresist
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fossilfuelcorporationsevenonuncededlands:
"Canadaisthehometo75%oftheworlds[sic]miningcorporations,andtheyhave
tendedtohaverelativeimpunityintheCanadianCourts"WinonaLaDuke[29]
Women'sEarthandClimateActionNetworkseeking"powerfulsubmissionsbyworldwide
women"sharing"stories,struggles,solutionsandactionplans...[a]women'sclimatejustice
mobilization"[30]
CountriesoftheMediterraneanSea.DamBridge,StraitofGibraltar,S.A.(PPEGSA).Thefirst
draftPresaPuente(http://www.presapuente.com)adaptingtoclimatechangeisdesignedtoprotect
theMediterraneanfromtheimminentrisingwaterscausedbythepolarthaw.Morethan24
countries,over500millionpeople,morethan15,000islandsandthousandsofkilometresofcoast
whichcanbesavedfromflooding.
Solaralliance:IndianPrimeMinisterNarendraModiannouncedatthe2015G20Summitthat
he,alongwithFrenchPresidentFranoisHollande,intendstoproposecreatinganallianceof
solarrichcountriessimilartotheOrganizationofthePetroleumExportingCountries
(OPEC).[31][32][33]Aheadoftheclimatesummit,thetwoleaderssentwritteninvitationstoover
100countriestojointhecoalitionproposedtobecalledtheInternationalAgencyforSolarPolicy
andApplication(InSPA).[34]
Avastrangeofotheractivities[35]inpreparationtoinfluencethemajordecisionsatthe
conference.

Financing
Theconferencewasbudgetedtocost170m(US$186.87matthetime).TheFrenchgovernmentsaid
that20%ofthecostwillbebornebyfirmssuchasEDF,Engie(formerlyknownasGDFSuez),Air
France,RenaultNissanandBNPParibas.[36]

Demonstrations
Aroundtheworld,600,000tookpartindemonstrationsinfavour
ofastrongagreement.Parishadabanonpublicgatheringsinthe
wakeofrecentterroristattacks,butallowedthousandsto
demonstrateon12Decemberagainstwhattheyfeltwasatoo
weaktreaty.TherewerealsoillegaldemonstrationsinParis,
includingaviolentclashbetweenpoliceandanticapitalist
protesterson29November.[37][38]

Parisagreement

Greenpeaceactivists,demanding
100%renewableenergyatClimate
March2015inMadrid.

On12December2015theparticipating196countriesagreedby
consensustothefinaldraft[39]ofaglobalpacttoreduce
emissionsaspartofthemethodforreducinggreenhousegas.Inthe12pageParisAgreement,[3]the
membersagreedtoreducetheircarbonoutput"assoonaspossible"andtodotheirbesttokeepglobal
warming"towellbelow2degreesC".[40]France'sForeignMinisterLaurentFabiussaidthis"ambitious
andbalanced"planwasa"historicturningpoint"inthegoalofreducingglobalwarming.[41]

Nonbindingcommitments,lackofenforcementmechanisms

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TheAgreemententersintoforceandthuswillbecomelegallybindingonitsmemberstatesafter55
partieswhoproduceover55%oftheworld'sgreenhousegasbecomeapartytotheAgreement.Thereis
doubtwhethersome,liketheU.S.,willagreetodoso.[2]

Seealso
Environmentalpolitics
IPCCFifthAssessmentReport
ParisAgreement
Politicsofglobalwarming
PostKyotoProtocolnegotiationsongreenhousegasemissions
TheStandingMarch

References
1. "19thSessionoftheConferenceofthePartiestotheUNFCCC".InternationalInstituteforSustainable
Development.Retrieved20February2013.
2. Sutter,JohnD.Berlinger,Joshua(12December2015)."Finaldraftofclimatedealformallyacceptedin
Paris".CNN.CableNewsNetwork,TurnerBroadcastingSystem,Inc.Retrieved12December2015.
3. "AdoptionoftheParisagreementProposalbythePresidentDraftdecision/CP.21"(PDF).UNFCCC.
20151212.Archivedfromtheoriginalon20151212.Retrieved20151212.
4. TheEditorialBoard(28November2015)."WhattheParisClimateMeetingMustDo".NewYorkTimes.
Retrieved28November2015.
5. Borenstein,Seth(29November2015)."Earthisawilder,warmerplacesincelastclimatedealmade".
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6. The2015internationalagreement
(http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/international/negotiations/future/index_en.htm),ECclimateaction,access
date30October2015
7. WhatisCOP21?(http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/learn/whatiscop21/)accessdate30November2015
8. NewUNReportSynthesizesNationalClimatePlansfrom146Countries(http://newsroom.unfccc.int/unfccc
newsroom/indcsynthesisreportpressrelease/),UNFCCC30October2015
9. IntendedNationallyDeterminedContributionoftheEUanditsMemberStates
(http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/INDC/Published%20Documents/Latvia/1/LV0306EU%20INDC.pdf),
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10. "IssuesandreasonsbehindtheFrenchoffertohostthe21stConferenceofthePartiesonClimateChange
2015".MinistryofForeignAffairs.22May2013.Retrieved31January2014.
11. M.NicolasJ.Firzli(3July2015)."Climate:RenewedSenseofUrgencyinWashingtonandBeijing".Revue
AnalyseFinancire.Retrieved7December2015.
12. "Franceconfirmedashostof2015ClimateConference".MinistryofForeignAffairs.22November2013.
Retrieved31January2014.
13. Guivarch,CelineandHallegatte,S.,2CorNot2C?19January2012.FEEMWorkingPaperNo.87.2011.
AvailableatSSRN:http://ssrn.com/abstract=1988201orhttp://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1988201
14. JustinWorland(Nov.14,2015),ParisClimateConferencetoProceedwithHeightenedSecurityAfter
Attacks,TimeInc.Checkdatevaluesin:|date=(help)
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12November2013.
16. "WhatisanINDC?|WorldResourcesInstitute".Wri.org.10November2015.Retrieved15November2015.
17. NickNuttall,GlobalResponsetoClimateChangeKeepsDoorOpento2DegreeCTemperatureLimit
(http://newsroom.unfccc.int/unfcccnewsroom/indcsynthesisreportpressrelease/),UNFCCCpressoffice,
30Oct2015.
18. "ICLEIWorldCongress2015seesMayorscommitaheadofParisCOP21BridgingtheGap".
Transport2020.org.15April2015.Retrieved15November2015.
19. "WorldMayorsandMunicipalLeadersDeclarationonClimateChange"(PDF).Archive.iclei.org.Retrieved
15November2015.
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20. "EuropeancapitalandlargecitiesforclimateactionenroutetoCOP21"(PDF).Stadtentwicklung.berlin.de.
Retrieved15November2015.
21. "WorldSummitofRegionsforClimate".Regionsclimate.org.11October2014.Retrieved15November
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22. "signsadeclarationinpreparationfortheCOP21".TheShiftProject.17July2014.Retrieved15November
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23. "AsiaIndigenousPeoples'Declarationonthe21stSessionoftheUNFCCCConferenceofParties(COP21)".
Aippnet.org.Retrieved15November2015.
24. "IndigenousPeoplesofAfricaCoordinatingCommittee".IPACC.Retrieved15November2015.
25. "LookingaheadCOP21:StateofnegotiationsontheIndigenousPeoples'agenda".Ipcca.info.11September
2015.Retrieved15November2015.
26. "IndigenousPeoplesSeekPresenceinPost2015DevelopmentAgenda|InterPressService".Ipsnews.net.4
September2014.Retrieved15November2015.
27. "UnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples"(PDF).Un.org.Retrieved15November
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28. "SummaryofIndigenousPeople'sDemandsforUNFCCCCoP20,Lima,Peru|ForestPeoplesProgramme".
Forestpeoples.org.1December2014.Retrieved15November2015.
29. "WhenDronesGuardthePipeline:MilitarizingFossilFuelsintheEast|EarthFirst!Newswire".
Earthfirstjournal.org.Retrieved15November2015.
30. "GlobalWomen'sClimateJusticeDayofActionSept.29,2015|WECAN".Wecaninternational.org.29
September2015.Retrieved15November2015.
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alliance".Firstpost.15November2015.Retrieved30November2015.
32. "IndiashouldtakeinitiativestoformleaguelikeOPEC:Modi".Firstpost.Retrieved30November2015.
33. NarendraModi(19April2012)."IndiashouldtakeinitiativestoformleaguelikeOPEC".
Archive.indianexpress.com.Retrieved30November2015.
34. "NarendraModi,FrancoisHollandeinviteover100countriesforsolaralliance".
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35. Bisiaux,Alice."Event:UNFCCCCOP21|ClimateChangePolicy&Practice|IISDReportingServices".
Climatel.iisd.org.Retrieved15November2015.
36. ArthurNeslen(29May2015)."Francedefends'imperfect'fossilfuelsponsorsforParisclimatesummit".The
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(http://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2015/nov/29/globalpeoplesclimatechangemarch2015day
ofactionlive),9.43pm,TheGuardian.Accessed13Dec2015.
38. AlissaJ.Rubier&ElianPeltierProtestersAreinAgreementasWell:PactIsTooWeak
(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/world/europe/climateactivistsgatherinparistoprotestoutcomeof
conference.html?_r=0),TheTelepgraph,12Dec2015.Accessed13Dec2015.
39. Chappel,Bill(12December2015)."Nearly200NationsAdoptClimateAgreementAtCOP21TalksIn
Paris".NPR.Retrieved12December2015.
40. nobyline(12December2015)." 'Historic'Parisclimatedealadopted".CBCNews.CBC/RadioCanada.
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Externallinks
https://twitter.com/GatewayHouseIND/status/674930513182859266{Wikisource%7CParis
Agreement}}
COP21OnDemandvideooverview(http://unfccc6.meta
fusion.com/cop21/events)
OfficialFrenchwebsite(http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en)
OfficialUNwebsite

WikimediaCommonshas
mediarelatedto2015
UnitedNationsClimate
ChangeConference.

(http://unfccc.int/meetings/paris_nov_2015/meeting/8926.php)
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OfficialParisClimateConference(http://www.cop21paris.org/)
ClimateChange?=>RealAnswers(NYT2015)
(http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/28/science/whatisclimatechange.html)
COP21questionsandanswers.VideobytheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GQfe6r6w2I&list=PL717E307DE4DD6C6C&index=1)
WhyCOP21matters,andhowclimatechangeimpactssustainabledevelopment.Videobythe
UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7GICzLb1d0M)
BackgroundonCOP21fromtheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)
(http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/events/2015/december/COP21paris
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NOAAStateoftheClimate(http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/)
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