With reference to the agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017.
2. The agreement aims to limit greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of the century does not exceed 2 Celsius or even 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibilities in global warming and committed to donate $ 1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries cope with climatic change.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change.
• It was adopted by 196 Parties at the COP21 in Paris (France) in 2015.
• It entered into force in 2016 after ratification by 55 countries that account for at least 55% of global emissions India signed and ratified in 2016.
  • Ratification: Once the treaty has been signed, each state will deal with it according to its own national procedures. After approval has been granted under a state’s own internal procedures, it will notify the other parties that they consent to be bound by the treaty. This is called ratification.

Statement 2 is correct

• The agreement set a goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels. The agreement calls for zero net anthropogenic GHG emissions to be reached during the second half of the 21st century.
• The parties will also pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C. This will require zero emissions sometime between 2030 and 2050.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The developed countries reaffirmed the commitment to mobilise $100 billion a year in climate finance by 2020 and agreed to continue it further until 2025.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium