TITLE OF CONVENTION

Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change

DATE
12 December 2015

PREAMBLE/OBJECTIVES
The Parties to this Agreement,

Being Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

hereinafter referred to as the Convention,

Pursuant to the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action established by decision

1/CP.17 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention at its seventeenth
session,

In pursuit of the objective of the Convention, and being guided by its principles,
including the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities
and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances,

Recognizing the need for an effective and progressive response to the urgent
threat of climate change on the basis of the best available scientific knowledge,

Also recognizing the specific needs and special circumstances of developing

country Parties, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse
effects of climate change, as provided for in the Convention,

Taking full account of the specific needs and special situations of the least
developed countries with regard to funding and transfer of technology,

Recognizing that Parties may be affected not only by climate change, but also by
the impacts of the measures taken in response to it,

Emphasizing the intrinsic relationship that climate change actions, responses and
impacts have with equitable access to sustainable development and eradication
of poverty,

Recognizing the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending

hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the
adverse impacts of climate change,

Taking into account the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the
creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined
development priorities,
Acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties
should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and
consider their respective obligations on human rights, the right to health, the
rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with
disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as
well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity,

Recognizing the importance of the conservation and enhancement, as

appropriate, of sinks and reservoirs of the greenhouse gases referred to in the
Convention,

Noting the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems, including

oceans, and the protection of biodiversity, recognized by some cultures as
Mother Earth, and noting the importance for some of the concept of climate
justice, when taking action to address climate change,

Affirming the importance of education, training, public awareness, public

participation, public access to information and cooperation at all levels on the
matters addressed in this Agreement,

Recognizing the importance of the engagements of all levels of government and

various actors, in accordance with respective national legislations of Parties, in
addressing climate change,

Also recognizing that sustainable lifestyles and sustainable patterns of

consumption and production, with developed country Parties taking the lead,
play an important role in addressing climate change.

MEMBER/CONCERNING STATES
Afghanistan , Albania , Algeria , Andorra , Angola , Antigua And Barbuda ,
Argentina , Armenia , Australia , Austria , Azerbaijan , Bahamas , Bahrain ,
Bangladesh , Barbados, Belarus , Belgium* , Belize , Benin , Bhutan , Bolivia
(Plurinational State Of) , Bosnia And Herzegovina , Botswana , Brazil , Brunei
Darussalam , Bulgaria* , Burkina Faso , Burundi , Cabo Verde , Cambodia ,
Cameroon , Canada , Central African Republic , Chad , Chile , China* , Colombia
, Comoros , Congo , Cook Islands* , Costa Rica , Cote D'ivoire , Croatia , Cuba ,
Cyprus , Czech Republic , Democratic People's Republic Of Korea , Democratic
Republic Of Congo , Denmark (1) , Djibouti , Dominica , Dominican Republic ,
Ecuador , Egypt , El Salvador , Equatorial Guinea , Eritrea , Estonia , Ethiopia ,
European Union* , Fiji , Finland , France , Gabon , Gambia , Georgia , Germany ,
Ghana , Greece , Grenada , Guatemala , Guinea , Guinea-Bissau , Guyana , Haiti
, Honduras , Hungary , Iceland , India* , Indonesia , Iran (Islamic Republic Of) ,
Iraq , Ireland , Israel , Italy , Jamaica , Japan , Jordan , Kazakhstan , Kenya ,
Kiribati , Kuwait , Kyrgyzstan , Lao People's Democratic Republic , Latvia ,
Lebanon , Lesotho , Liberia , Libya , Liechtenstein , Lithuania , Luxembourg ,
Madagascar , Malawi , Malaysia , Maldives , Mali , Malta , Marshall Islands* ,
Mauritania , Mauritius , Mexico* , Micronesia* (Federated States Of) , Monaco ,
Mongolia , Montenegro , Morocco , Mozambique , Myanmar , Namibia , Nauru* ,
Nepal , Netherlands* , New Zealand (2), Niger , Nigeria , Niue* , Norway , Oman
, Pakistan , Palau , Panama , Papua New Guinea , Paraguay , Peru , Philippines*
, Poland* , Portugal , Qatar , Republic Of Korea , Republic Of Moldova , Romania
, Russian Federation , Rwanda , Saint Kitts And Nevis , Saint Lucia , Saint
Vincent And The Grenadines , Samoa , San Marino , Sao Tome And Principe ,
Saudi Arabia , Senegal , Serbia , Seychelles , Sierra Leone , Singapore , Slovakia
, Slovenia , Solomon Islands* , Somalia , South Africa , South Sudan , Spain* ,
Sri Lanka , State Of Palestine , Sudan , Suriname , Swaziland , Sweden ,
Switzerland , Tajikistan , Thailand , The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia
, Timor-Leste , Togo , Tonga , Trinidad And Tobago , Tunisia , Turkey ,
Turkmenistan , Tuvalu* , Uganda , Ukraine , United Arab Emirates , United
Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland , United Republic Of Tanzania ,
United States Of America , Uruguay , Uzbekistan , Vanuatu* , Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic Of) , Viet Nam , Yemen , Zambia , Zimbabwe

CONTENT
In November and December 2015, the 21st Conference of the Parties to
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC COP21)
took place in Paris. UNFCC is an international environmental agreement on
climate change, of which there are 195 States Parties, including the UK.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned of

the consequences of failing to limit global temperature rises to at least 2 degrees
Celsius (above pre-industrial times), highlighting that the impacts would pose a
threat to humanity and could lead to irreversible climate change.

The meeting in Paris was hailed as a make-or-break opportunity to secure

an international agreement on approaches to tacking climate change, a
commitment to a longer-term goal of near zero net emissions in the second half
of the century, and supporting a transition to a clean economy and low carbon
society.
The key points of the Paris Agreement are summarised below. The agreement is
due to come into force in 2020.

Mitigation: Reducing Emissions

Governments agreed:
A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to
well below 2C above pre-industrial levels;
To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce
risks and the impacts of climate change;
 On the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising
that this will take longer for developing countries;
To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best
available science.

Before and during the Paris conference, countries submitted comprehensive

national climate action plans (INDCs). These are not yet enough to keep global
warming below 2C, but the agreement traces the way to achieving this target.

Transparency and Global Stocktake

Governments agreed to:
Come together every 5 years to set more ambitious targets as required by
science;
Report to each other and the public on how well they are doing to
implement their targets;
Track progress towards the long-term goal through a robust transparency
and accountability system.

Adaptation
Governments agreed to:
Strengthen societies ability to deal with the impacts of climate change;
Provide continued and enhanced international support for adaptation to
developing countries.

Loss and damage

The agreement also:
Recognises the importance of averting, minimising and addressing loss
and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change;
Acknowledges the need to cooperate and enhance the understanding,
action and support in different areas such as early warning systems,
emergency preparedness and risk insurance.

Support
The EU and other developed countries will continue to support climate
action to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts
in developing countries.
Other countries are encouraged to provide or continue to provide such
support voluntarily.
Developed countries intend to continue their existing collective goal to
mobilise USD 100 billion per year until 2025 when a new collective goal
will be set.

Wales has an important role to play in helping the wider UK to meet this target
and the Environment (Wales) Act will provide a strong legislative framework for
action in this area. With the advent of the Well-being of Future Generations Act,
Wales is making a commitment to moving forwards with sustainability,
environmental resilience and global responsibility at the heart of all decision
making.

STATES OF IMPLEMENTATION
Paris, 12 December 2015
Entry into force: 4 November 2016
Status: Signatories: 195. Parties: 166
Note: The Paris Agreement was adopted on 12 December 2015 at the twenty-
first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change held in Paris from 30 November to 13 December
2015. In accordance with its article 20, the Agreement shall be open for
signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 22 April 2016
until 21 April 2017 by States and regional economic integration organizations
that are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change.

GROUP II
Amora, Silvin Ezra
Gayo, Cyrus Kynne
Labitao, Nina Mae
Macasimbar, Rensselaer Mac Rajiv
Olimberio, Roselle
Rosel, Vanessa
Sari, Graziella Grace
Yodico, Earl Gabriel