Communication: The road from Paris: assessing the implications of the Paris Agreement

The 2015 Paris Agreement is a historically significant landmark in the global fight against climate change. The Agreement provides a lifeline, a last chance to hand over to future generations a world that is more stable, a healthier planet, fairer societies and more prosperous economies, also in the context of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The Agreement will steer the world towards a global clean energy transition.

This transition will require changes in business and investment behaviour and incentives across the entire policy spectrum. For the EU, this provides important opportunities, notably for jobs and growth. The transition will stimulate investment and innovation in renewable energy, thereby contributing to the EU's ambition of becoming the world leader in renewable energy, and increase the growth in markets for EU produced goods and services, for instance in the field of energy efficiency.

The Paris Agreement is the first multilateral agreement on climate change covering almost all of the world's emissions. The Paris Agreement is a success for the world and a confirmation of the EU's path to low carbon economy. The EU's negotiation strategy was decisive in reaching the Agreement. The EU has pushed for ambition, bringing its experience of effective climate policy and tradition of negotiations and rules-based international co-operation.

The EU became the first major economy to present its climate plan (Intended Nationally Determined Contribution or "INDC") on 6 March 2015, reflecting the 2030 climate and energy policy framework set by the October 2014 European Council and the European Commission's blueprint for tackling global climate change beyond 2020. The EU has set an ambitious economy-wide domestic target of at least 40% greenhouse gas emission reduction for 2030. The target is based on global projections that are in line with the medium term ambition of the Paris Agreement.

The implementation of the commitments under the Paris Agreement requires maintaining the momentum and strong political determination to secure the transition to a climate resilient, climate neutral future, in a socially just manner. Climate change should remain on the political agendas of relevant international fora, including the G20 and G7 meetings. In this respect, the EU will continue its international leadership and its climate diplomacy.

See also:
- Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

ESO: Background Information: Climate Action: Europe readies next steps to implement the Paris Agreement http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-climate-action-europe-readies-next-steps-to-implement-the-paris-agreement/

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