THE world has agreed on the first universal, legally-binding agreement on global warming at the recent United Nations talks in Paris on climate change.
Here is what the outcome of the summit means for our lifestyle and what comes next.
What’s been decided?
The first-ever global legally binding deal to tackle global warming, the agreement aims to prevent dangerous climate change by cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that cause it.
It sets a goal of limiting warming to 2°C – the level of warming beyond which scientists say the world will see the most severe effects of climate change, including heatwaves, droughts and flooding – and an ambition of limiting it to 1.5°C.
Will the deal solve global warming?
No – at least, not by itself.
National pledges to cut emissions, made ahead of the summit, are likely to leave the world on course for warming of at least 2.7°C, according to the UN.
They will make a significant “dent” in the warming that might otherwise be seen, but not enough to prevent dangerous warming.
What does it mean for the world?
The world is already feeling the effects of climate change, such as increased risk of flooding.
A global deal to curb emissions and temperature increases could help prevent these kind of effects.
In the short-term, the deal is not likely to have much impact on some countries’ policies, particularly those that already have tough domestic emissions-reductions targets and has already committed billions of pounds – or dollars – of overseas aid to help tackle climate change.
The UK could potentially have to increase its emissions-reductions targets in future if the EU, which is the official party to the UN deal, decides to raise its Europe-wide pledge.
Britain could also be under pressure to commit more money to tackling climate change overseas in the 2020s.
It has already committed £5.8-billion (R131-billion) over five years to help meet a goal of rich nations “mobilising” $100-billion (R1.5-trillion) of finance a year by 2020.
A separate, non-binding agreement in Paris asks developed countries collectively to increase this funding by 2025.
Did countries get what they wanted for the deal?
Not everything.
The richer countries would have liked a stronger demand for rich countries that are still formally classed as “developing” nations to also commit funding to help the most vulnerable nations.
However, the deal does include five-year review cycles to encourage countries to improve their pledges, which was the core UK demand.
Is the deal legally binding?
The agreement will become legally binding from 2020 on all those countries that ratify it. Ratification is expected to begin next year, with a ceremony planned in New York in April.
How will it affect me?
The deal means countries are likely to continue pursuing their existing climate change targets, which will require a transformation of the economy away from fossil fuels to green energy sources.
Developing countries that still do not have climate change targets, will have to start looking seriously at their policies, and developing some targets.
In the UK, that means a future where most new cars will be electric by 2030, where homes will have to stop relying on gas for their heating, and where consumers will continue to pay rising subsidies for renewable electricity through their energy bills.
What Cop21 outcome means for our lifestyles
Here is what the outcome of the summit means for our lifestyle and what comes next.
What’s been decided?
The first-ever global legally binding deal to tackle global warming, the agreement aims to prevent dangerous climate change by cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that cause it.
It sets a goal of limiting warming to 2°C – the level of warming beyond which scientists say the world will see the most severe effects of climate change, including heatwaves, droughts and flooding – and an ambition of limiting it to 1.5°C.
Will the deal solve global warming?
No – at least, not by itself.
National pledges to cut emissions, made ahead of the summit, are likely to leave the world on course for warming of at least 2.7°C, according to the UN.
They will make a significant “dent” in the warming that might otherwise be seen, but not enough to prevent dangerous warming.
What does it mean for the world?
The world is already feeling the effects of climate change, such as increased risk of flooding.
A global deal to curb emissions and temperature increases could help prevent these kind of effects.
In the short-term, the deal is not likely to have much impact on some countries’ policies, particularly those that already have tough domestic emissions-reductions targets and has already committed billions of pounds – or dollars – of overseas aid to help tackle climate change.
The UK could potentially have to increase its emissions-reductions targets in future if the EU, which is the official party to the UN deal, decides to raise its Europe-wide pledge.
Britain could also be under pressure to commit more money to tackling climate change overseas in the 2020s.
It has already committed £5.8-billion (R131-billion) over five years to help meet a goal of rich nations “mobilising” $100-billion (R1.5-trillion) of finance a year by 2020.
A separate, non-binding agreement in Paris asks developed countries collectively to increase this funding by 2025.
Did countries get what they wanted for the deal?
Not everything.
The richer countries would have liked a stronger demand for rich countries that are still formally classed as “developing” nations to also commit funding to help the most vulnerable nations.
However, the deal does include five-year review cycles to encourage countries to improve their pledges, which was the core UK demand.
Is the deal legally binding?
The agreement will become legally binding from 2020 on all those countries that ratify it. Ratification is expected to begin next year, with a ceremony planned in New York in April.
How will it affect me?
The deal means countries are likely to continue pursuing their existing climate change targets, which will require a transformation of the economy away from fossil fuels to green energy sources.
Developing countries that still do not have climate change targets, will have to start looking seriously at their policies, and developing some targets.
In the UK, that means a future where most new cars will be electric by 2030, where homes will have to stop relying on gas for their heating, and where consumers will continue to pay rising subsidies for renewable electricity through their energy bills.
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