Explain the features of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a landmark international treaty aimed at addressing climate change and its impacts. The agreement represents a historic commitment by nearly all countries of the world to limit global warming and enhance climate resilience. Here are the key features of the Paris Agreement:

1. Long-Term Temperature Goal: The Paris Agreement sets a long-term temperature goal to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This ambitious target is based on scientific assessments of the impacts of climate change and the need to prevent catastrophic consequences for ecosystems, societies, and economies.

2. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Under the Paris Agreement, each country is required to submit a nationally determined contribution (NDC) outlining its climate action plan, including emission reduction targets, adaptation measures, and support needs. NDCs are intended to be nationally determined, ambitious, and transparent, reflecting each country's circumstances, capabilities, and development priorities. Countries are encouraged to regularly update and enhance their NDCs over time, with the expectation of increasing ambition over successive rounds.

3. Global Stocktake: The Paris Agreement establishes a mechanism for conducting a global stocktake every five years to assess collective progress towards achieving the temperature goals and to enhance ambition in climate action. The global stocktake evaluates the implementation of NDCs, emission trends, adaptation efforts, financial support, technology transfer, capacity-building activities, and other relevant factors. The outcomes of the global stocktake inform future climate action and facilitate international cooperation and coordination.

4. Adaptation and Loss and Damage: The Paris Agreement recognizes the importance of adaptation to climate impacts and the need to support vulnerable countries and communities in building resilience. It also acknowledges the concept of loss and damage associated with climate change impacts that exceed the capacity of countries to adapt, providing a framework for addressing irreversible losses and unavoidable damages. The agreement emphasizes the importance of enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience, and mobilizing financial and technical support for adaptation efforts.

5. Finance, Technology Transfer, and Capacity Building: The Paris Agreement includes provisions for enhancing financial support, technology transfer, and capacity-building assistance to developing countries to enable them to undertake climate action and transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient development pathways. Developed countries are urged to mobilize climate finance of at least $100 billion annually by 2020 and to increase financial support thereafter. The agreement emphasizes the importance of aligning financial flows with low-carbon, climate-resilient development objectives and ensuring the effective utilization of resources.

6. Transparency and Accountability: The Paris Agreement establishes a robust framework for transparency, accountability, and reporting to track countries' progress in implementing their NDCs, reducing emissions, and enhancing climate resilience. Countries are required to regularly report on their emissions, adaptation efforts, financial contributions, and other relevant information, facilitating mutual trust and confidence-building among parties. The agreement promotes transparency, openness, and peer review of climate actions, enhancing accountability and facilitating learning and knowledge sharing.

7. Non-State Actors and Subnational Action: The Paris Agreement recognizes the important role of non-state actors, including cities, regions, businesses, investors, civil society organizations, and indigenous peoples, in supporting and implementing climate action. It encourages collaboration and partnerships between governments and non-state actors to mobilize resources, share best practices, and enhance climate ambition. The agreement also promotes subnational and local action, recognizing the unique contributions of subnational governments and communities to climate resilience and mitigation efforts.

Overall, the Paris Agreement represents a historic and collective commitment by countries to combat climate change and pursue sustainable development. By fostering international cooperation, ambition, and solidarity, the agreement provides a framework for accelerating the global transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future. It embodies the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities, and respective capabilities, reflecting the shared aspirations and responsibilities of all countries in addressing the urgent challenge of climate change.