The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a landmark international treaty aimed at addressing the global

challenge of climate change. The agreement sets out obligations for countries (Parties) to both

mitigate and adapt to climate change, with the overarching goal of limiting global warming. Here's

a detailed discussion of these obligations:

1. Mitigation Commitments:

- Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):

- Definition: NDCs are the central mechanism by which countries commit to reducing their

greenhouse gas emissions. Each Party is required to prepare, communicate, and maintain successive

NDCs, which are to be updated every five years.

- Content: NDCs include targets for emission reductions, the timeframe for achieving these

targets, and the measures or policies to be implemented. They reflect each country’s ambition to

mitigate climate change in the context of its national circumstances.

- Progression and Ambition: The agreement mandates that each successive NDC should

represent a progression beyond the Party’s current NDC and reflect its highest possible ambition.

- International Pledges: As part of the global effort, countries aim to limit the increase in global

average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with a more aspirational goal of

limiting the increase to 1.5°C.

- Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies:

- Submission: Parties are encouraged to develop long-term low greenhouse gas emission

development strategies, which outline pathways to achieve the goals set in their NDCs.
 - Net-Zero Goal: A key objective is to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon

as possible and achieve a balance between emissions and removals by sinks in the second half of

the century (i.e., achieving net-zero emissions).

2. Adaptation Efforts:

- National Adaptation Plans (NAPs):

- Purpose: Adaptation plans are essential for countries, especially developing nations and those

most vulnerable to climate impacts, to build resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.

- Development: Parties are encouraged to develop, communicate, and periodically update their

adaptation plans, which should be integrated into national policies, including sustainable

development strategies.

- Global Goal on Adaptation: The Paris Agreement establishes a global goal on adaptation,

which aims to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate

change. This goal is intended to contribute to sustainable development and ensure an adequate

adaptation response.

- Sharing Knowledge and Best Practices:

- Cooperation: The agreement encourages regional and international cooperation on adaptation,

including the exchange of information, experiences, and best practices.

- Support: It also recognizes the need for financial and technical support to help developing

countries implement their adaptation efforts.

3. Financial Support:

- Climate Finance Commitment:

 - $100 Billion Goal: Developed countries committed to mobilize $100 billion per year by 2020

to support climate action in developing countries, particularly for adaptation and mitigation. This

target was extended through 2025.

- New Financial Goal: By 2025, a new, more ambitious climate finance goal will be set,

reflecting the needs and priorities of developing countries.

- Transparency: Developed countries must report on their financial contributions and future

commitments, ensuring transparency and accountability in climate finance.

- Access to Finance:

- Green Climate Fund (GCF): The GCF is one of the primary financial mechanisms under the

Paris Agreement, providing funding for both mitigation and adaptation projects in developing

countries.

- Adaptation Fund: Another key fund is the Adaptation Fund, which specifically supports

adaptation efforts in vulnerable countries.

4. Transparency and Reporting:

- Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF):

- Purpose: The ETF is designed to build trust among Parties by ensuring clear, consistent, and

comparable information on mitigation actions, adaptation efforts, and support provided or received.

- Reporting Requirements: Countries must submit biennial transparency reports (BTRs) that

include:

- Greenhouse gas inventories.

- Progress made in implementing and achieving NDCs.

- Adaptation actions and their impacts.

- Financial, technological, and capacity-building support provided or received.

 - Technical Expert Review: The submitted reports are subject to an independent technical expert

review, which assesses the completeness, consistency, and transparency of the information

provided.

- Compliance Mechanism:

- Committee: A committee was established under the Paris Agreement to facilitate compliance

and address issues related to the implementation of the Agreement. It operates in a non-punitive and

non-adversarial manner.

5. Global Stocktake:

- Purpose: Every five years, beginning in 2023, a global stocktake will assess the collective

progress towards achieving the purpose of the Paris Agreement and its long-term goals.

- Outcomes: The stocktake will inform the updating and enhancing of NDCs and foster

international cooperation to close the gap between current efforts and the goals of the Agreement.

- Process: The stocktake process involves gathering information from various sources, including

national reports, scientific assessments, and inputs from non-state actors.

6. Capacity Building and Technology Transfer:

- Support for Developing Countries:

- Capacity Building: The Paris Agreement emphasizes the need for building capacity in

developing countries to implement their climate actions, including enhancing institutional, human,

and technical capacities.

- Technology Transfer: The agreement promotes the development and transfer of technology to

developing countries. The Technology Mechanism under the UNFCCC supports this by facilitating

partnerships and providing technical assistance.

 - Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT): The CBIT was established to help

developing countries meet the enhanced transparency requirements under the Paris Agreement.

7. Loss and Damage:

- Recognition of Loss and Damage:

- Impacts Beyond Adaptation: The Paris Agreement acknowledges that some climate impacts

cannot be avoided through mitigation or adaptation, leading to loss and damage, particularly in

vulnerable countries.

- Warsaw International Mechanism: The agreement supports the existing Warsaw International

Mechanism for Loss and Damage, which addresses issues such as slow-onset events, non-economic

losses, and the role of insurance in managing climate risks.

- Non-Liability Clause: While addressing loss and damage, the Paris Agreement does not

establish any basis for liability or compensation, which was a point of contention during

negotiations.

Conclusion:

The Paris Agreement represents a collective effort to address the complex challenge of climate

change through a framework that is both flexible and ambitious. It balances the need for immediate

action with long-term goals, recognizing the different capabilities and responsibilities of countries.

The success of the Agreement hinges on the willingness of all Parties to progressively enhance their

commitments, mobilize necessary resources, and cooperate at a global scale to mitigate and adapt to

the changing climate.