COP 21 and the evolution of climate change governance. (2016) - Charles, Don
Climate change is a global problem that requires collective action. While the international community has been slow in taking effective action in limiting global temperature rise, the 21st Congress of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change may prove to be a milestone in climate negotiations. Past climate deals failed in part due to their attempts to impose mitigation targets on reluctant countries, rather than allowing each country to set its own targets that it believes is achievable. The subsequent Paris Agreement is a post-Kyoto Protocol emissions reduction framework beyond 2020 which aspires to prevent global temperature increase below the 2°C benchmark. Whether countries will heed emission reduction calls and the 2°C global temperature goal is achieved remain to be seen.