Paris Conference: There is an agreement

The Paris Climate Change Conference ended with the signing of a historic agreement in which the countries of the world declare their commitment to deal with the expected changes and ensure that the situation does not reach the point of no return

Huge excitement and quite a few tears were seen yesterday during the closing speeches of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris. For the first time in history, 195 nations signed an international agreement for cooperation between them. This is an unprecedented diplomatic achievement - in the ravaged days of terrorism, wars and crises, the countries of the world managed to agree on something, no matter what, and work together for a common goal.

The passionate speakers spoke of Saturday, December 12 as a historic day when they changed the world. Amidst the great enthusiasm and excitement there was an atmosphere of agreement despite the criticism and criticism of the agreement, and country after country confirmed their support for the climate agreement.

Yesterday it was also clear that all the countries of the world recognize the terrible threat of climate change. No more doubts and political debates - all the leaders declared yesterday that climate change is the most urgent and greatest threat humanity is facing today. To celebrate this agreement, the countries will sign the agreement in a solemn ceremony to be held in New York on the upcoming Earth Day (April 22, 2016).

So what did all the nations of the world agree on?

1. Urgent global joint action to stop climate change. The countries agreed that it is the biggest threat to humanity, the economy and the ecosystems. The goal is that the Earth will not warm more than 2 degrees Celsius on average, relative to the average global temperature in the 19th century, before the industrial age. The goal is not to go through a warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
2. A commitment by each country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Each of the countries participating in the climate conference has stated how much it is willing to contribute in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Participation is voluntary - everyone contributes as much as they can. Indeed, 186 countries presented goals for which they are practical. But this is only the beginning of a long-term improvement allocation: in 2018 all countries will submit improved targets of increased reduction and update their targets once every 5 years.
3. Of money. The developed countries pledged to help developing countries financially to encourage greener and more efficient energy and reduce environmental pollution, as well as to prepare for the dangerous effects of climate change (adaptation). The "Green Climate Fund" will transfer 100 billion dollars every year to developing countries to combat climate change and prepare for the dangers arising from it. The goal is to continue to increase this amount of money.
4. Adaptation to climate change (adaptation). The problems arising from climate change are already evident and will increase even more in the future. It is therefore necessary to prepare for damages such as droughts, floods, tsunamis, flooding and desertification. Each country has committed to developing ways to prepare itself for these changes. The countries also agreed to support each other in cases of such loss and damage, measure the risks and develop early warning systems against disasters. The countries will work together to prevent harm to their communities and sources of income and to protect the ecosystems from harm as a result of climate change.
5. Sharing, transparency and international support. The agreement requires each country to report on its activities to reduce emissions and to prepare for vulnerabilities resulting from climate change. That way, everything that happens will be transparent to the citizens of the country and to the other countries. This commitment to open and honest reporting is a precedent for international democracy. This information will be used to assess the combined impact of all countries' efforts on the climate. The countries will work together to develop science and technologies that will prevent further warming, and will share all this knowledge between them. All will also work to create citizen education systems and raise public awareness about the changing climate, helping developing countries develop the technical, economic and policy capabilities needed to meet the challenge.

The fact that so many countries have agreed to sign an agreement that legally binds them under international law is inspiring. They undertook to report honestly and independently on their activities and to be subject to international enforcement and even to contribute to it themselves.

One of the secrets of the success of the agreement in Paris is that each country's commitment was submitted voluntarily, each according to its capacity, with fairness and cooperation with the other countries. Despite this, many argue that this is the weakness of the agreement - it is not binding enough and does not specify quantitative and measurable objectives to truly combat future challenges.

save mother earth

Despite the limitations, the Paris Agreement creates an incredible precedent at the global level in its sensitivity to fundamental social issues and their connection to the environment and the fight against the great challenge of the climate. One of the significant things in the agreement is the unequivocal recognition of climate change as a problem of social justice, and the level of solidarity between the countries demonstrated here is the first of its kind.

The agreement is unusually sensitive to the needs of minorities and weak strata of the Earth's population. It emphasizes the importance of women and their equal place in society, and an entire day during the discussions was dedicated to the unique contribution of women to the fight against climate change. There was also a sensitivity to the tradition and needs of indigenous peoples, and the need to protect ecosystems and the other species of animals and plants with which we share the earth. The agreement even refers to the importance of protecting Mother Earth, in these very words, and talks about supporting backward populations and the importance of addressing the climate crisis as a tool to eradicate poverty. The agreement's recognition of the importance of sustainable development and the need to stop the futile accumulation of property in which the Western world is preoccupied may mark the end of the age of the religion of consumerism to which we are enslaved.

The future is promising, if we only want it

On the other hand, there are also reviews. One of them is that the language of the agreement is too soft and non-binding, and that most clauses lack measurable and quantitative goals. If all countries do meet all their commitments, the world will warm by 3 degrees, far beyond what was agreed upon as the most dangerous upper limit. Humanity has already signed a binding climate agreement with the Earth, but the amount of carbon dioxide already present in the atmosphere will cause continued warming of up to 0.7 degrees, even if today we stop emitting greenhouse gases immediately.

Saturday was the day of celebrations, now the deeds begin. The agreement is an opening shot for international environmental cooperation, but it will only have meaning if it really is the beginning of efforts that will increase on the part of all the countries of the world, along with significant fundraising to support it. Only if in two years, in the reassessment of the situation, the countries commit to a much more significant emission reduction will there be hope that the Earth's climate will not cross a dangerous threshold that will change its face beyond recognition.

The next conference will be held in less than a year, on November 18-7, 2016, probably in Morocco. Until then, the leaders of the countries will have to show the beginning of activity in the directions they committed to.

More of the topic in Hayadan:

• By the middle of the century there will be no fish left in the sea
• Prof. Yair at the "Threats to Science and Reason" event of the Hidan website (2011): a cynical and cunning effort was made by certain sectors and stakeholders to attack climate science 
• יAnd from Paris: final drafts
• We are all children of climate change

• Climate change does not hold a passport - Paris diary: the week of decision

• Paris of hope

• Paris Diary: Summary of the first week