Sacré Bleu CO2
From November 30th to December 12th, 2015, Paris hosted 196 countries at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Politicians and world leaders have met many times in the past to discuss the issue of climate change, and the world hasn’t really seen any drastic changes. So why is this conference any different? And why is it such a big deal?
First of all, each country at the summit signed the Paris Agreement, which is the first to commit every country to reduce carbon emissions. Another main goal of the agreement is to limit the rise in temperature to below 2˚C, which is thought to reduce the chances of potentially disastrous and irreversible climate change. Contrary to previous global agreements, the Paris Agreement calls on each nation to decide its own measures to achieve these goals, instead of setting a plan for every country to undertake.
One extremely important aspect of the pact is its dedication to helping poorer countries, whose citizens will be the most impacted victims of climate change if nothing is done to prevent it. Developed nations agreed to give $100 billion to developing countries to help them advance in a greener way of living and to provide aid to those currently suffering due to climate change. It also encourages the use of renewable energy in developing countries, which will reduce carbon emissions, air pollution, and as a result-- many major health problems.
Another ambitious objective is to reach a carbon-neutral world between the years 2050 and 2100. This means that greenhouse gas emissions would be offset by natural absorption by trees, soil, and oceans. Although these years seem too far away to even think about, this is a HUGE task and requires a lot of effort right now and major cuts to current emissions.
So what is Canada’s part in all of this? Canada does not have a proud history regarding climate change and the country’s efforts to end it. In 2011, Canada became notorious for being the first country to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol, which attempted to reduce countries’ greenhouse gas emissions but didn’t achieve all that it hoped to. Global carbon dioxide emissions have been on a sharp rise, hitting values way above previously recorded levels. 2014 was documented as the world’s hottest year, and by its end Canada was the ninth highest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world.
However, under new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada has stepped up to tackle climate change more drastically than it has in the past. Trudeau has pledged to specifically help developing countries in reducing their emissions and adjusting to climate change, and agreed to pledge $2.65 billion towards helping poorer nations. In addition, Canada has agreed to fund a $2 billion Low Carbon Economy Trust that will encourage projects that reduce carbon emissions. Overall, Canada has stated that it fully supports the Agreement and will strive to fulfill its promises.
This Paris Agreement has undoubtedly brought hope to the world, and although many have noted that it isn’t perfect, Barack Obama stated that it is “the best chance to save the one planet we have.” This has been echoed by many optimistic leaders. China’s chief negotiator Xie Zhenhua said that it “does not prevent us from marching historical steps forward.” The Paris Conference on Climate Change is certainly a historical one, but some of the world is wondering if history will repeat itself or if this truly is a step in the right direction.
Photo credit: blogs.state.gov
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