COP21: When? Where? How? What?

26.11.2015 – In the run up to next week’s Paris Climate Conference, officially known as the Conference of the Parties (or “COP”), the increased media attention for climate change is hard to miss. But when and where exactly will it take place? How does it work? What if countries don’t agree? Here are the answers to some of the most pressing questions.

When and where?

The 21st Paris Climate Conference, COP21, will be held from 30 November to 11 December 2015 at a site near Paris-Le Bourget.

How?

In total, 45,000 participants are expected to participate at the COP at some point during the Conference. This includes delegates representing countries, observers, civil society and journalists. Over 80 world leaders such as Barack Obama, Narendra Modi and David Cameron will also be part of the sumit.

What?

The main aim of the Conference is for the global community to seek long-term solutions to limit the rise in global temperature to less than 2 degrees Celsius.

Existing policies and strong engagement by nations submitting their contributions ahead of the Paris climate meeting will limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but a new climate agreement can encourage further action to limit global temperature rise to 2°C by 2100, according to a new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

The challenge is to bend the emissions trajectory down as soon as possible to ensure that the net zero emissions goal in 2060-2075 is within reach.

Without a global agreement, it will be more difficult, if not impossible, to guide international cooperation on climate change. As climate change is a problem that does not respect borders, our ability to limit climate change to relatively safe levels will be diminished.

This is why Paris needs to result in a negotiated agreement that will provide a legal framework for moving forward.

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UNRIC’s related links

·         COP21 (Official Website)

·         UNEP (COP21 News)

·         Earth To Paris (Official Website)

Photo Credits

Cover photo: UN Photo / Dag Hammarskjöld Library