A Decade of Progress, But Still a Long Way to Go: Global Emissions After 10 Years of Paris Climate Agreement
Ten years after the landmark Paris climate agreement, which brought together nearly 200 countries in an unprecedented effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels, it is clear that progress has been made, but significant work remains.
Renewable energy has emerged as a major success story, accounting for over 90% of new power generation capacity last year, with investment in clean energy reaching an astonishing $2 trillion. Electric vehicles now make up about one-fifth of new car sales worldwide, while low-carbon power makes up more than half of China's and India's generation capacity.
The Paris agreement's impact is undeniable, with many countries experiencing a flattening of their carbon emissions and most developed nations trending downwards. According to Laurence Tubiana, former French diplomat and chief executive of the European Climate Foundation, "The Paris agreement has set in motion a shift towards clean energy that no country can now ignore."
However, not everyone is optimistic about the progress made so far. Bill Hare, chief executive of Climate Analytics, notes that while significant steps have been taken, the world still has a long way to go to achieve its climate goals. "The 1.5C limit and net zero goal have reshaped policy, finance, litigation, and sectoral rules, helping to rewire how states, markets, and institutions work," he said.
Despite these challenges, countries like China and India are making significant strides towards a cleaner energy future. China, in particular, has faced criticism for its rapid increase in carbon emissions, but Wang Yi, a senior adviser to the Chinese government, claims that President Xi Jinping is committed to clean energy for the long term.
The impact of the Paris agreement can be seen in many countries, including India, which has met its renewable energy targets ahead of schedule and is now planning for a grid that can absorb much larger volumes of renewable energy. However, other developing countries are struggling to access climate finance, with many expressing frustration at the slow pace of progress.
The US withdrawal from the Paris agreement under Donald Trump's presidency was a significant blow, but China has largely filled the gap. Roughly 90% of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions since the Paris agreement has come from China, and yet the country continues to make rapid strides towards clean energy, with solar panels becoming increasingly affordable.
As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, it is clear that the Paris agreement's success depends on the willingness of countries to work together. The High Ambition Coalition, spearheaded by Tony de Brum, brought more than 100 countries together and drove the final months of work on the agreement.
However, many observers are worried about a growing divide between developed and developing countries, which has appeared to widen at recent climate summits. Poorer countries were shocked by the global north's tardiness in sharing vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic, but they supported moves at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 to reinforce the 1.5C goal.
As climate finance talks continue, rich nations are under pressure to up their game and provide financial assistance to developing countries, which is seen as a moral obligation rather than an option. The tripling of adaptation funding to $120 billion per year has been achieved, but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to rebuild trust between rich and poor nations.
In conclusion, while progress has been made since the Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015, there is still much work to be done. The world needs to come together to address the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, and for that, multilateral cooperation on the climate will remain the best hope for large and small countries alike.
Ten years after the landmark Paris climate agreement, which brought together nearly 200 countries in an unprecedented effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels, it is clear that progress has been made, but significant work remains.
Renewable energy has emerged as a major success story, accounting for over 90% of new power generation capacity last year, with investment in clean energy reaching an astonishing $2 trillion. Electric vehicles now make up about one-fifth of new car sales worldwide, while low-carbon power makes up more than half of China's and India's generation capacity.
The Paris agreement's impact is undeniable, with many countries experiencing a flattening of their carbon emissions and most developed nations trending downwards. According to Laurence Tubiana, former French diplomat and chief executive of the European Climate Foundation, "The Paris agreement has set in motion a shift towards clean energy that no country can now ignore."
However, not everyone is optimistic about the progress made so far. Bill Hare, chief executive of Climate Analytics, notes that while significant steps have been taken, the world still has a long way to go to achieve its climate goals. "The 1.5C limit and net zero goal have reshaped policy, finance, litigation, and sectoral rules, helping to rewire how states, markets, and institutions work," he said.
Despite these challenges, countries like China and India are making significant strides towards a cleaner energy future. China, in particular, has faced criticism for its rapid increase in carbon emissions, but Wang Yi, a senior adviser to the Chinese government, claims that President Xi Jinping is committed to clean energy for the long term.
The impact of the Paris agreement can be seen in many countries, including India, which has met its renewable energy targets ahead of schedule and is now planning for a grid that can absorb much larger volumes of renewable energy. However, other developing countries are struggling to access climate finance, with many expressing frustration at the slow pace of progress.
The US withdrawal from the Paris agreement under Donald Trump's presidency was a significant blow, but China has largely filled the gap. Roughly 90% of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions since the Paris agreement has come from China, and yet the country continues to make rapid strides towards clean energy, with solar panels becoming increasingly affordable.
As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, it is clear that the Paris agreement's success depends on the willingness of countries to work together. The High Ambition Coalition, spearheaded by Tony de Brum, brought more than 100 countries together and drove the final months of work on the agreement.
However, many observers are worried about a growing divide between developed and developing countries, which has appeared to widen at recent climate summits. Poorer countries were shocked by the global north's tardiness in sharing vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic, but they supported moves at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 to reinforce the 1.5C goal.
As climate finance talks continue, rich nations are under pressure to up their game and provide financial assistance to developing countries, which is seen as a moral obligation rather than an option. The tripling of adaptation funding to $120 billion per year has been achieved, but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to rebuild trust between rich and poor nations.
In conclusion, while progress has been made since the Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015, there is still much work to be done. The world needs to come together to address the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, and for that, multilateral cooperation on the climate will remain the best hope for large and small countries alike.
... like they're doing really well, but how come other developing countries are struggling to access finance? shouldn't we all be working together? 
it feels like rich nations are talking the talk but not walking the walk when it comes to sharing climate cash 
i cant believe we're only 10 yrs into the paris accord and we still havnt reached our goal 
renewable energy is making huge strides tho 
like 90% of new power generation capacity last yr was all clean energy can u imagine a world w/o fossil fuels 
china is leading the way too they invested over $2 trillion in clean energy lol that's even more than the global economy 
- renewable energy investments are insane 
, and China's making some major strides in clean energy 
. But, at the same time, there's still a looong way to go 
. I mean, $2 trillion is crazy 
. We gotta keep pushing for that moral obligation from rich nations 
. Its a start, but we can't just sit back and wait 
but let's not forget the journey is just as important as the destination. The fact that China has stepped up to fill the gap left by the US withdrawal shows we can adapt when needed, but we gotta keep pushing ourselves and each other to do more 
. We can't keep relying on developed nations to bail out developing ones – it's time for real action, not just empty promises 
and Europe's always talking about their own climate goals... It feels like nobody's listening to anyone anymore 
I guess we'll just have to keep pushing for better cooperation between rich and poor countries. Adaptation funding's a good start, but let's see if it actually adds up 