Previous Year Question

The 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) under the United Nations climate change framework was held from 30 November to 12 December 2015 in Paris, the capital of France. The conference was organized under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). COP stands for Conference of the Parties, which serves as a forum for member countries to make decisions concerning climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and international environmental cooperation.

The most significant achievement of COP21 was the Paris Agreement, adopted on 12 December 2015. It is a legally binding international treaty on climate change that entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its principal objective is to keep the increase in global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. The agreement provides a common international framework for climate action by both developed and developing countries.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These include plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote Renewable Energy, and undertake Climate Adaptation measures. Countries are expected to submit NDCs every five years, with progressively more ambitious climate targets. The agreement also includes provisions concerning Climate Finance, technology transfer, and capacity building for developing countries.

In the history of international climate conferences, the first COP conference was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995. The third conference, COP3, took place in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, where the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. The Kyoto Protocol established legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for developed countries. Subsequently, the Paris Agreement was adopted at COP21 in Paris in 2015, establishing a framework based on climate contributions from all participating countries.