O Paris Agreementrepresents a worldwide commitment to climate changes, aggravated by the high levels of gas emissions from greenhouse effect to the atmosphere. The Paris Agreement's goal is to keep the global average temperature rise below 2°C.
For it to enter into force, countries representing approximately 55% of emissions would have to adhere to the treaty. On December 12, 2015, the Paris Agreement was negotiated and signed during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21), entering into force on November 4, 2016.
Objectives of the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement's main objective is to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, emitted to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. THE anthropic action has considerably increased the emission of these gases, which, when concentrated in the atmosphere, prevent the heat radiated by the surface from being dispersed, heating the Earth in an abnormal way.
The Paris Agreement also provides for the review, every five years, of the commitments made by each country. The first review is scheduled for 2025 and should show advances in results. It is also noteworthy that the proposed targets are different for developed and underdeveloped countries.
The main goal of the Paris Agreement is to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, mainly emitted by industries.
Historical context
As a result of the countless natural disasters that have devastated regions around the world, debates about climate change have intensified. These changes have been aggravated mainly by the increase in the emission levels of greenhouse gases. Burning fossil fuels, increasing the use of urban transport and generating electricity contribute to aggravate the abnormal increase in global temperatures.
From debates on climate change, the so-called Environmental Conferences emerged, in which several countries meet to propose alternatives that can contain global warming. Minimizing the effects of anthropic action on the environment is the agenda of these conferences, which resulted in several agreements and commitments, such as the Paris Agreement, a result of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21).
Read more: environmental conferences
Countries that have not adhered to the Paris Agreement
For various reasons, some countries did not adhere to the agreement:
1. Syria:did not adhere to the agreement because it was involved in a dramatic civil war.
2. Nicaragua: he claimed that the agreement was extremely ambitious and that it would be ineffective, as countries had to voluntarily submit their commitments and results, so they would eventually boycott it. However, in 2017, after being ravaged by hurricanes, the president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, decided to adhere to the agreement.
3. U.S:had signed the agreement in 2015, under President Barack Obama. However, in 2017, the current President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced the country's exit from the Paris Agreement, alleging possible disadvantages to the US economy.
Know more:Civil War in Syria
Why did the United States leave the Paris Agreement?
After announcing the United States' exit from the Paris Agreement, President Donald Trump was the target of numerous protests.*
In 2015, during the administration of Barack Obama, the United States adhered to the Paris Agreement, committing to reduce by 28% the emission of greenhouse gases and donate around $3 billion to poor countries to help fight change climate.
In 2017, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, skeptical about climate change, announced the country's exit from the Paris Agreement, causing demonstrations around the world.
In view of this announcement and considering that the United States is the second largest producer of greenhouse gases, remaining second only to China, the United Nations (UN) estimated that the planet's temperature could rise by 0.3 degrees.
Brazil's Participation in the Paris Agreement
Brazil signed the Paris agreement in 2015, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 37%, compared to the levels emitted in 2005. This target is expected to be completed by 2025, extending to 43% by 2030.
Some Brazilian goals established by the Paris Agreement are:
Increase the use of alternative energy sources;
Increase the share of sustainable bioenergy in the Brazilian energy matrix to 18% by 2030;
Use of clean technologies in industries;
Improve transport infrastructure;
decrease the logging;
Restore and reforest up to 12 million hectares.
Read too:Deforestation: causes and consequences
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*Image Credits: Avivi Aharon / Shutterstock
