The Paris Agreement is an internationally-recognised accord stating the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the globe.

The Agreement came into force in November 2016, and has been recognised as a landmark moment in acknowledging the fight against climate change.

However, its effectiveness has been debated in recent years.

What are the terms of the Paris Agreement?

After two weeks of difficult negotiations, the terms agreed were:

• The global temperature rise must be limited to 1.5C, and avoid reaching above 2.0C
• Each country must set its own emission-reduction targets, which will be reviewed every five years
• ‘Net Zero’ must be achieved between 2050 and 2100
• Rich countries must help poorer nations adapt to climate change by providing funding (this is known as ‘climate finance’)

What is ‘Net Zero’?

‘Net Zero’ is the strategy employed through the Paris Agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions from human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally.

How does ‘climate finance’ work?

‘Climate finance’ is a reiteration of a commitment made in 2009 that the world’s richest countries should provide $100bn annually by 2020, in order to help poorer countries cope with climate change.

How many countries signed the Paris Agreement?

As of 2022, 191 countries and the European Union have joined the Agreement.

The cooperation has not gone without its hiccups, however.

Four countries in the Middle East have not signed the agreement: Iran, Libya, Yemen, and Eritrea. Collectively, these countries account for 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2017, then-President of the United States Donald Trump began the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. Four years later his successor, Joe Biden, had the US rejoin the Agreement.

Do all the countries work together?

One of the elements of the Paris Agreement that has caused controversy is its emphasis on individual cooperation. 

Rather than focusing on the collective responsibility of the world’s nations, countries are expected to develop their own plans to tackle climate change. 

Is the Paris Agreement legally binding?

In short, no. There are no penalties given to any party that violates its terms, and there is no governing body that enforces compliance. 

The Paris Agreement vs. Kyoto Protocol – what’s the difference?

The Kyoto Protocol was an international settlement requiring the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 5% below pre-1990 levels. After being signed by 55 countries, it became a legally-binding treaty in 2005.

The Protocol saw less unity than the Paris Agreement, with the US pulling out in 2001 and Russia being reluctant to sign due to the impact the Protocol would have on its economy.

Unlike the Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Protocol only called for developed countries to sign the treaty. 

What has been achieved from the Paris Agreement?

Some terms of the Paris Agreement have been met with enthusiasm: more than two-thirds of the global economy have pledged to reach net-zero by 2050.

Furthermore, renewable energy capacity rose by 45% in 2020, in a bid to reach carbon neutrality.

How effective has the Paris Agreement been?

While the Paris Agreement accelerated global discourse surrounding the impact of climate change on our society, the developments have been slow to unfold.

Global carbon emissions rose from 50bn tonnes in 2015 to 55bn tonnes in 2019, with deforestation being one of the main contributors.

According to The Guardian, deforestation has led to the world losing an area of forest equivalent to the size of the UK. 

Furthermore, the Australian bushfires experienced in 2021 proved that global temperatures are still rising. 

Even the conditions of the Paris Agreement are proving difficult to follow. The $100bn annual fund requested from the richer nations has yet to be achieved, with only $79.6bn being raised in 2019.

The UN reported that the $100bn goal would not be reached until 2023.