1. Why in news?
1.1. US president elect had twitted about his intention to rejoin the agreement after it exited from the treaty during the Trump Presidency
2. What is it?
2.1. It is an environmental treaty adopted in 2015 to address the pressing issue of climate change and its negative impacts
2.2. The treaty aims to reduce the rise in global temperature ,by reducing the global greenhouse emissions.
2.2.1. aims to reduce the global temperature increase to 2 degree Celsius above Pre industrial levels while trying all means to reduce it to 1.5 degree Celsius.
2.3. Paris Agreement is the first universal legal agreement applicable to all parties who signed it.
2.3.1. It has been signed by around 197 nations.
3. provisions
3.1. Universal Legal treaty
3.1.1. Certain legally binding rules like providing financially support by developed countries to the developing countries to implement the agreement.
3.2. Differentiated agreement
3.2.1. A. Depending on respective capabilities and different national circumstances of every country,the agreement recognises states to have common but differentiated responsibilities.
3.2.2. For ex-It takes into account the level of development and the specific needs of particularly vulnerable countries.
3.2.3. Beyond making financial commitments, industrialized countries will need to facilitate technology transfers, and more generally, adaptation to a low-carbon economy.
3.2.4. In terms of transparency, a system for tracking national commitments, which is slightly flexible for developing countries, has also kept track of everyone’s efforts.
3.3. Action Agenda with Accelerators
3.3.1. The Agreement aims at more ambitious progress ,above and beyond binding agreements.
3.3.1.1. The purpose is to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to ensure that efforts are pursued to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C.
3.3.1.2. Hence to achieve this, the Paris Agreement stipulates that all countries shall review their contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions every five years.
3.3.1.2.1. Each new contribution set out on a national level should include a progression compared with the precedent.
3.4. Funding component:
3.4.1. The agreement recognises the need of funding support to the emerging countries to help them transition to carbon free economies.
3.4.1.1. Hence it provides to raise $100 billion from 2020 to finance projects that enable countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change like increase droughts,rise in sea level etc.
3.4.1.2. The money will be raised from public and private resources and even developing countries can become donors on a voluntary basis to help the poor countries.
3.5. Mitigation :
3.5.1. The Paris Agreement establishes binding commitments by all Parties to prepare, communicate and maintain a nationally determined contribution (NDC)
3.5.1.1. .They should also take a domestic measures to achieve the NDCs.
3.5.1.2. .The agreements mandates the parties to communicate their NDCs every 5 years and every NDC declared should be a progression over the previous.
3.6. Adaptation:
3.6.1. It recognizes the need for all parties to engage in adaptation efforts,to implement and formulate National Adaptation Plans.
3.6.1.1. All parties need to submit and update an adaptation communication describing their needs,plans and actions.
4. Can a country leave the agreement ?
4.1. Yes, any country who has signed the agreement can also leave it by following the procedures laid down in Article 28 -
4.1.1. 1. Any country can leave the agreement only after at least 3 years after the Paris Agreement came into force.
4.1.2. 2. The withdrawal will not be immediate and will take place only after 1 year after the submission of notice of exiting.
5. Does US leaving the treaty affects it any way ?
5.1. 1. USA is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Leaving the treaty could jeopardise the goal of keeping the global temperature to within 2 degree Celsius from Pre-industrial levels.
5.2. 2. Financial flows: US plays an important role in mobilising financial flows globally, hence its exit will hamper this effort to mobilise financial resources.
6. What were the commitments Made by USA in the Paris agreement?
6.1. 1. USA has promised to reduce its emissions by 26-28% by 2025 from 2005 levels. If USA leaves the treaty ,it wont be legally binded to accomplish the commitments made.
7. Will US remain a part of UNFCC?
7.1. Pulling out of the Paris Agreement doesn’t means US has also abrogated UNFCC.
7.1.1. UNFCC was finalised in the year 1994 and is considered the agreement under which all treaties are negotiated.
7.2. UNFCC
7.2.1. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the first international agreement to recognise the problem of climate change.
7.2.2. .It had laid down principles and guidelines to achieve the objective of stabilising the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to levels that would cause least damage to climate system.
7.2.3. The Paris Agreement is the instrument of UNFCC to achieve its goal.