It is an agreement with an «action agenda» to implement accelerators to ensure more ambitious progress beyond binding commitments. COP 21 or the Paris Climate Conference have resulted in a new international climate agreement that applies to all countries and aims to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, in line with the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Governments today face the rising economic costs of the effects of climate change and the environmental costs of carbon-rich development. There is much to be done at the national, urban, commercial and civic levels. However, international cooperation is also essential and the ongoing UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations for a new international agreement in Paris in December 2015 are essential for reflection. As host and president of COP21, France is committed to supporting a multilateral negotiation process and listening to all parties involved in reaching an agreement: the Paris Agreement marks the beginning of a change towards a low-carbon world – much remains to be done. Implementation of the agreement is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as it contains a roadmap to combat climate change to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change. The EU and its member states are among the nearly 190 parties to the Paris Agreement. The EU formally ratified the agreement on 5 October 2016, allowing it to enter into force on 4 November 2016. In order for the agreement to enter into force, at least 55 countries representing at least 55% of global emissions had to file their ratification instruments.

The agreement commits all countries to reduce their emissions and cooperate to adapt to the effects of climate change and calls on countries to strengthen their commitments over time. The agreement provides developed countries with a means to assist developing countries in their mitigation and adaptation efforts, while establishing a framework for monitoring and reporting transparently on developing countries` climate goals. The agreement recognizes the role of non-partisan stakeholders in the fight against climate change, including cities, other sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and others. The contributions were published when they were published on the website of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). On 22 November 2015, a week before the conference, 170 countries, representing more than 90% of emissions, had already published their national contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Each contribution was to include quantifiable elements, the reference year, the implementation schedule and methods for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions. Funding is essential to support emerging economies and support the transition to carbon-free economies. The agreement provides that from 2020, $100 billion in public and private funds will have to be mobilized each year to finance projects that allow countries to adapt to the effects of climate change (sea level rise, droughts, etc.) or to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These funds should be gradually increased and some developing countries will also be able to become donors on a voluntary basis to help the poorest countries. In response to the climate challenge, the agreement recognizes that states have common but differentiated responsibilities, i.e.

according to their national capabilities and specificities. The Paris Agreement provides a sustainable framework that guides global efforts for decades to come. The aim is to increase countries` climate ambitions over time. To achieve this, the agreement provides for two review processes, each in a five-year cycle. States parties are subject to certain legally binding provisions, such as the requirement for developed countries to provide financial assistance to developing countries to enable them to implement the Agreement.