The promissory note: COP 21 and the Paris Climate Agreement

TLDR

The 2015 Paris climate negotiations produced a binding treaty that succeeded Kyoto, marking a diplomatic success that restored faith in the UNFCCC and establishing a robust framework to intensify global warming mitigation, though its long‑term value remains uncertain. The study aims to outline the historical path to the Paris accord. It provides a preliminary assessment of the accord’s key elements and outcomes.

Abstract

The 2015 UN climate negotiations in Paris resulted in an inclusive, binding treaty that succeeds the Kyoto Protocol. In contrast to the failure at Copenhagen in 2009, the Paris negotiations are therefore seen as a major diplomatic success that has regenerated faith in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as a forum for dynamic multilateralism. The Paris Agreement provides a robust framework for ratcheting up efforts to combat global warming. However, the Agreement’s value will remain unclear for some time. The historical path to the Paris accord is outlined, and a preliminary assessment is offered of its key elements and outcomes.