The Paris Climate Agreement: Public Policy and Strategic Analysis

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the Paris Climate Agreement, examining its origins, goals, and the challenges it faces. It explores the agreement's framework for mitigating climate change, including the commitments made by various nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy sources. The essay delves into the concept of policy networking and transfer, assessing how these mechanisms can influence the agreement's success, particularly in light of the United States' withdrawal. It discusses the role of developed and developing nations, the importance of financial assistance, and the need for transparency and accountability. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of the agreement's long-term success, emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum, fostering political influence, and building capacity for technology implementation. The essay underscores the agreement's focus on environmental sustainability, poverty eradication, and sustainable development, offering insights into the agreement's potential impact on global efforts to combat climate change.

Running Head: Essay
Paris Climate Agreement
Every country presents on the earth is being affected by the change in climate. Due to the
climate change economies of the world is getting affected, at the cost of the lives of people,
communities and nations. The emissions of greenhouse gas due the activities of humans is
causing the change in climate and rise in temperature. A warning was issued by The United
Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), about the rise in global
temperature, which was above pre industrial times, i.e., at least 2 degree Celsius and its
consequences on the nature and world. It was highlighted that this rise in temperature will
lead to climate changes which will be irreversible as well as it will pose a great threat to the
very survival of living beings (Telegraph Media Group, 2017).
To provide a solution to such issues, it became necessary for countries to meet at an
international level and by cooperating and coordinating with each other to start a campaign.
On 12th Decemeber 2015, to address the issue of climate change, 195 countries met in Paris
and adopted the Paris Agreement at the COP21. After a year, the Agreement came into
existence. It was decided that all the countries will agree to work towards the betterment of
environment control and providing a sustainable life to its habitants. It was agreed by all the
countries that to work to limit the rise in global temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius and if
necessary to 1.5 degree Celsius. Other than this, the member nations are forced to act and
address any kind of damage and loss done by them due to climate impacts. It also asks the
developed member nations to help the developing countries members financially so as they
can tackle the issues and can adapt to climate change (Lewis, 2017).
Almost every country was ready to adopt clean energy and to curb the issue like phasing out
fossil fuel, which is the basic framework of Paris Climate Accord. A climate Action plan
which focuses on how the members will achieve their goals, were submitted by the countries.
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Out of the 195 member countries, the member who has ratified their accord are 175 in
number. In the Agreement it is said that developed member countries due to their industrial
growth, need to take the accountability for cutting the emissions as minimum as possible.
Whereas, developing member nations encouraged to use the renewable sources of energy to
meet the needs and demands of their large population.
Few important points under the Paris Climate Agreement are:
The Paris Climate Agreement urges and requests all its member nations that by the year 2020,
they need to do an updating of their pledges. Whereas in 2018 and after every five years,
every member need to review its efforts and actions which it is taken in minimizing global
warming. The emissions curbing targets are different from most of the countries depending
on their abilities and resources at disposal. For eg. It is 2025 for few countries where as may
be a developing nation has set its target for the year 2030 and all these category need an
updating after every five years. Member countries who are developed and have funds at their
disposal are asked to provide funds to less developing member countries in order to help
them fight against the cause of global warming (Plumer, 2017).
It is the obligation of every member to put their efforts toward the contribution of mitigation
of climate change and adaptation. It is for the first time, that every member country is
developing plans on its contribution to climate change mitigation. They will also
communicate “nationally determined contributions” to the Convention Secretariat (Trust,
2017).
In the June 2017, in a statement, the President of The United States of America, Donald
Trump announced that they will be not supporting the Paris Climate Accord anymore and -
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also they will after sometimes begin the re-negotiations, talks to make a re-entry in the Paris
Accord on their own terms and policies which are beneficial for its country.
By the withdrawal of the United States of America, the efforts put in by every member
country to reduce pollution and to keep a check on climate change, will be seriously
weakened globally. Earlier the United States of America pledged to bring emissions below
2005 levels by 2025 which was 26 to 28 percent, but now it will be approximately will fall
from 15 to 19 percent (Harrington, 2017).
After China, the second biggest country who contribute in the emission of pollution
worldwide is the United State of America. The exit of the United States of America has left
people wondering that the goals which were formulated by the Paris Climate Agreement can
still be achieved or not.
According to the experts worldwide, the United States withdrawal will lead to destroying its
international credibility and will be outcast. They think that the withdrawal will pose a threat
to the US environment as well national security. More than a million jobs in clean energy are
at risk and it will cost the job of the people due to the decision. While signing the Agreement.
The United States committed to carbon emissions reduction by 26 to 28 percent in a period of
ten years, which now looks like will take a number of years to achieve that goal (CDP, 2017).
The withdrawal of the United States of America from the Paris Climate Agreement raise an
important question that as the member countries are leaving or ratifying the accord according
to their own terms, so could the policy networking and policy transfer will help and enable
the Paris Climate Agreement to succeed.
Before answering the above question it is very necessary to understand the concept of policy
networking and policy transfer (The Washington Post, 2017).
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When one place or time’s information and knowledge about institutions, policies and
administrative arrangements are used in another time or place policies development,
administrative arrangements etc., it is known as Policy Transfer. What happens here is an
organization tries to use policy on the other through force. It includes the transfer of policy
goals, ideas, concepts, attitudes, administrative techniques, etc. In short, it means that an
organization is superior to the other organizations present in an agreement.
Whereas Policy networking is related to the issue of keeping focus on the interdependence
and links in between sections of government and different element of a society, in order to
understand the process of making policy and outcomes of public policy.
The United States of America, being the world’s largest economy and who contribute in the
emission of carbon mono oxide and stood second in it, might ask other friendly countries to
do so. The United States of America says that it is doing its part, but other members specially
the developed nations are not anywhere close to it (Horam, 2017).
The Paris Agreement asked every country to set a number as its target for curbing emissions.
For eg. Members like China and India have their own emissions cutting targets. The United
States targets are much higher than what the countries like China and India have projected.
The Paris Climate Agreement through its policy networking and policy transfer can succeed
no matter countries like United States of America leave it or stay. One country cannot dictate
an entire organization on how it functions or how the member country wants to operate the
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organization. An agreement comes into existence when two parties mutually agree on
something and then they decide to work for achieving the objectives mutually and together.
The Goodwill is based upon which the Paris Climate Agreement is formed. The Paris Climate
Agreement can be successful if it relies on the pledge, for the creation of political pressure
keep reviewing its process and drive low carbon investment (Serrat, 2017).
There are few factors which need to be dealt in order to let the Paris Climate Agreement
become successful and achieve its target. For instance, by 2018 is the deadline for the
Agreement’s books of rule operationalizing finalizing. There is a need for setting a
framework which encourages transparency and accountability, which in turn will ensure that
member countries are feeling trustworthy and also don’t promote any free riding. Most of the
countries are still making rules and policies for the implementation in their native country.
Developing countries don’t have sufficient resources at their disposal, so they are lacking
behind. The Committee for Paris Climate Agreement need to promote and provide a
mechanism through which there is coordination of efforts in between various agencies and
which in turn help the member countries as and when required (Center for Climate, 2015).
Member countries of Europe and South Asia like China and India are few major active
members of the organization wherein they are committed to the Agreement by renewable
energy adaptation and fighting against the issue of climate change. There has been a rise in
the investment of renewable energy in countries like Japan, China, and India.
Development of renewable friendly policies has been done by many European countries
wherein, in 2016 around 90% of new capacity was contributed by renewable energy in
Europe. The leaders of these member countries have refused to renegotiate the Agreements of
Paris, which is a positive sign. Though with the withdrawal of the United States of America,
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has hampered the growth of the Paris Climate Agreement working, but many member
countries see this event as an opportunity to lead the organization.
The Paris Climate Agreement clearly states that its purpose is not only to see the climate
change, but environmental sustainability as well as including factors like eradication of
poverty, sustainable development, security of food, equity depending on the needs and
demands of different member nations. The Paris Climate Agreement breaks new ground by
taking into account the differentiated responsibilities. The Paris Agreement is an alternative
approach for every member countries and especially the developing nations wherein it
establishes a model structure for differentiation (Bodle et al., 2016).
The Paris Climate Agreement policies focus on the transparency of member nations,
combined efforts put in by the members and to work towards a common cause and
contributing towards it.
Many technical details are left for future decisions in multilateral treaty like the Paris Climate
Agreement, which is a normal situation, but due to its approach which is procedural it makes
the Paris Climate Agreement special, which means that for safeguarding the ambitions,
further details can play a crucial role.
It has moved beyond the UNFCCC’s differentiation which are mainly bifurcated by taking
small and decisive steps which makes it a landmark agreement. The policies of the Paris
Climate Agreement are designed in a manner wherein every member is aware about its
targets and the methods to achieve those targets.
It is very essential for the Paris Climate Accord to follow the principle of implementation in
its long term success. It makes sure that below mentioned points are taken in making the
organization and its efforts successful:
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 The momentum which the committee gained during its initiation should be
maintained. A powerful level of influence in politics need be involved, so that the
Paris Climate Agreement Committee and the member countries can be connected.
This will ensure that there is a smooth transition of finance as well as political help to
make ensure that the members are working towards the common cause (Selin &
Najam, 2015).
 For the preparation, which are progressive and implementation of technology for the
Nationally Determined Contributions, capacity needs to be created.
 The transparency needs to be maintained throughout the tenure. While doing the
negotiations in the future, it has to be ensured that technical details, which are still to
be negotiated, in relation to nationally Determine Contributions are determined
(Willliams, 2017).
The policies of the Paris Climate Agreement are crystal clear and it was built on an honest
attempt. Due to this, a new line has been added in the Article 2 of the Agreement “holding
the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels
and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”
The Paris Climate Accord is based on two pillars of universal participation and acceptance of
responsibility. Its policies are way different from its predecessor “1997 Kyoto Protocol”,
which focussed mainly on the countries who were emitting most of the carbon mono oxide
and greenhouse gases. Also in comparison to Copenhagen Accord of 2009, it is way different
and important, the earlier focussed only on a small number of developed and influential
countries leaving aside the rest of the countries of the world.
Though it is too early to say that the Paris Climate Accord is successful or not, but one can
say that it as an accomplishment toward bringing the world closer and making them work
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collectively toward the achievement of saving the world and restoring the balance. It is a long
process step, but it is one of the best methods to tackle changing climate. As mentioned
earlier, one of the main reasons for the Copenhagen failure was that, the developing nations
were not willing to come into an agreement which can damage their chance of progress. The
policies of the Paris Climate Agreement make ensure that such mistake is not repeated.
The aim given to its member countries is to stay “well below” 2 degree Celsius instead of 2
degree Celsius as well as to aim to keep working in the direction toward keeping the warming
below 1.5 degree Celsius. Through a smart system of national plans, which are developed by
countries, modified according to their own circumstances, an agreement has been made, thus
making it flexible to work with. With the help of the process of transparency wherein, the
member countries commitments and working can be measured, as well as any member
developing country can become ambitious and achieve its target by getting proper aid from
developed countries. It shows that international cooperations and global dimensions are also
present in the issues like climate adaptation. Because of the policy transfer and networking of
the Paris Climate Agreement, many corporate leaders contribute to the global causes
(Kuylenstierna, 2016).
Withdrawal of the United States of America will initially hamper the working of the Paris
Climate Agreement, but it will have no long lasting effects. Because by learning from past
mistakes and experiences, this time the world has formed a committee which works for the
betterment of every living being involved as well as nature itself. A politically defined
objectives which are applicable globally forms a basis to support investments and
development. With the exit of the United States of America, other countries will become
more responsible towards the cause and will be more accountable (Plumer, 2017).
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At this point of time it is very essential for the Paris Climate Agreement to do policy
networking and transfer of policy to make it a successful event not for its own benefit but for
the world as whole. A clear path toward the reduction of emissions has been set by the world.
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References
Bodle, R., Donat, L. & Duwe, M., 2016. The Paris Agreement: Analysis, Assessment and
Outlook, Available at:
CDP, 2017. Statement from CDP on US withdrawal from Paris Agreement on climate
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Center for Climate, 2015. Outcomes of the U.N. climate change conference in Paris,
Available at:
Harrington, R., 2017. Here are all the countries that signed on to the Paris climate agreement,
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Paris-climate-agreement/articleshow/58936031.cms
Horam, P., 2017. Climate change challenges post-U.S. exit from Paris Climate Agreement,
Available at: https://medium.com/thebeammagazine/climate-change-challenges-post-u-s-exit-
from-paris-climate-agreement-f1dcf9391bdb
Kuylenstierna, J., 2016. The Paris Agreement: a success for international cooperation – and
good for business, Available at:
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for-international-cooperation-and-good-for-business
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Plumer, B., 2017. How Can U.S. States Fight Climate Change if Trump Quits the Paris
Accord?, Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/20/climate/paris-climate-accord-
trump.html
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the-bad-and-the-ugly-52242
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05-highlights-paris-agreement.html
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climate-change-everything-need-know/
The Washington Post, 2017. These experts say it may actually be best if the U.S. left the
Paris climate agreement, Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-
environment/wp/2017/05/31/these-experts-say-it-may-actually-be-best-if-the-u-s-left-the-
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Willliams, T., 2017. Was the Paris Agreement on Climate Change a success?, Available at:
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