Paris Agreement 2015

Question 1

• …….countries signed the agreement in

- this means that the agreement will act on a ……………..scale

Answer 1

• 195
• signed in 2016, comes into effect in 2020
• global scale

Question 2

the agreement aims to keep global temperature increases to below………..degrees C

Answer 2

-well below 2.0 degrees and below 1.5 degrees if possible

Question 3

the agreement also encourages HICs to help LICs in ‘……………..finance’ which involves funding to increase use of renewable energy in LICs

Answer 3

‘climate finance’

Question 4

the agreement has been criticised for…………………………and this was addressed in the newest ……… report

Answer 4

• criticised for having too high a target of 2 degrees, which leaders of low-lying countries want reduced to 1.5 degrees
• IPCC report 2018

Question 5

poorer countries have been promised £…………. a year by 2020 in order to invest in renewable energy

Answer 5

£67 billion a year

Question 6

• in 2017, the ………….pulled out of the agreement

- this means……………………..for the programme

Answer 6

• USA
• this means a significant financial contribution has been withdrawn, as well as the pledge to reduce GHG emissions
• as a global power, the USA should be heading the efforts to combat climate change and is instead backing oil and coal instead of acting as an example to all other participating nations

Question 7

• though elements of the Paris Agreement are legally binding, the…………………..are not binding
• this means

Answer 7

• targets set by individual nations are voluntary
• this means efforts have the potential of being uncoordinated and so ineffective as the actions of a country might be nullified by those of another who choose to continue using fossil fuels

Question 8

individual nations did not have to set specific……….

Answer 8

targets, unlike int he Kyoto Protocol of 1997 where 37 industrialised countries were given specific targets to achieve
the targets are instead ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ (INDCs), which are reviewed every 5 years by the UNFCCC
UK’s target was a 12.5% reduction in emissions by 2012

Question 9

Russia, the USA’s and Brazil’s pledges were a ………….reduction from ………….levels

Answer 9

Russia: 70% reduction from 1990 levels
USA: 26 to 28% reduction from 2005 levels
Brazil: 37% reduction since 2005 levels

Question 10

main points of criticism are:

Answer 10

GLOBAL CRITICISMS:
-INDCs approach means country’s targets are variable, with some unfairly low
-the ‘non punitive compliance mechanism’ clause means countries will not face any punishment for not achieving their INDCs
-the Agreement is not taking a holistic approach (seeing how the carbon cycle is interconnected), meaning not enough attention has been placed on reviving vital carbon sinks such as forests and the oceans
-the Agreement has omitted international transport by sea or air from carbon emissions
LOCAL CRITICISMS:
-Poorer countries do not have the money nor access to technologies which can reduce carbon emissions or use renewable energy
-political unrest or economic recession could force countries to prioritise other things and see their INDC pledge fall behind
-unwillingness of HIC populations to change lifestyle, such as using public rather than private transport, will hinder INDCs achievement

Question 11

emissions from the aviation sector have increased by …….% from …………… to ……………

Answer 11

75% increase from 1990 to 2017

Question 12

annual emissions from the world merchant fleet are ………tonnes of CO2 per years, or …..% of global emissions

Answer 12

1. 12 billion tonnes of CO2

4. 5% of global emissions