Cop21: Everything you need to know about the 2015 Paris climate conference

Alan Martin from Alphr



It has been described as the last great hope for tackling climate change. Here are the what, when, where and whos of the event




Later this month, around 100 world leaders, 40,000 delegates and thousands more protesters will descend on Paris for the UN’s 2015 climate summit.



What is the Paris climate summit (COP21)?



The first thing you’ll notice is that you have to work exceptionally hard to make “Paris climate summit” fit the acronym “COP”. This is because COP stands for conference of parties, an annual meeting of the 195 countries that make up the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. As this is the 21st meeting, it’s COP21. These events have been staged annually since 1995’s meeting in Berlin. The purpose is to monitor the world’s progress at dealing with global warming and climate change, as well as to negotiate agreements and set targets for reducing greenhouse gases.



The 2015 event will take place in Paris at the end of November. It feels particularly significant because the stated aim is to reach a global, binding agreement. It’s no small ask, but there’s excitement in the air, with politicians and commentators anticipating a tipping point: “What is unique here is that everyone is realising that this truly is a very, very urgent moment in the history of addressing climate change, that this is a moment we cannot afford to miss,” the United Nations’ climate change chief told the Independent.



When is the summit, and how long does it run for?

The summit will open on Monday 30 November and continue until Friday 11 December.



What are the aims of the summit?



There is one serious goal, as mentioned above: to create a legally binding agreement between all the world’s countries to lower emissions sufficiently to keep global warming below the 2C threshold that scientists say is necessary for the health of the planet. This is considered essential if we are to head off the worst effects of climate change, such as severe flooding and droughts. However, given that we passed the 1C mark in November, many argue that our existing emissions have already “locked in” the 2C rise.



To this end, reducing emissions is key, but it’s a delicate balance, given that not all countries emit equally, and the richest countries have already benefited hugely from the boom years. As such, there are demands for financial assistance from the poorer nations. A commitment to contribute $100bn a year to developing nations was made six years ago by the world’s wealthiest nations, but not everyone is satisfied that this is being honoured.



The limits agreed in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol will expire in 2020, so it’s essential that a new agreement is reached. Anything short of the 2C benchmark will be viewed as a failure.



Why is the Paris climate summit more significant than previous events?



There are a few reasons why the summit is attracting more attention than past events – a mix of political and public will, awareness of the planet’s temperature and the expiry of existing arrangements. First of all, there are the practical pressures. This year is the hottest on record, and the overall trend is not looking good: the consensus is backed by the majority of scientists and opposed by a vocal minority of deniers. And Donald Trump.



In general, public opinion has followed the science, (although it does break down to an extent according to political beliefs), and interest in the event stretches beyond the throng of protesters who have attended past events. Shift public opinion enough and eventually the politicians will catch up – either because it’s expedient to do so, or because they’re reflecting the will of the people, depending on your level of cynicism.



In any case, with the exception of the Republican right in the US – out of office since 2008 – you’re hard-pushed to find many major political groups actively denying global warming. Canadians have just said goodbye to sceptic prime minister Stephen Harper, replacing him with Justin Trudeau, who has created the post of climate change minister. Even Australia has ousted Tony Abbott and replaced him with Malcolm Turnbull, a man who famously described the former leader’s climate policies as “bullshit”.



This reduction in political resistance is best signified by the historic agreement to cut emissions agreed between the US and China, the biggest greenhouse-gas emitters on the planet. Barack Obama, the US president and a long-time voice for action on climate change, may feel particularly motivated to make a lasting mark on global warming, since his presidency is capped constitutionally to two terms: this is virtually his last chance to create a lasting legacy regarding climate change.



Who will be in attendance at the Paris Climate Summit?



There will be delegates from 195 countries. It’s a big deal. Major world leaders including Barack Obama, China’s Xi Jinping, the UK’s David Cameron and India’s Narendra Modi will be in attendance.



How optimistic should we be of a positive outcome?



There is a mixed mood among commentators and experts. There are definitely reasons to be cheerful, but past form – especially the damp squib of Copenhagen five years ago – suggests optimism should be tempered.



Still, one major difference between the Paris climate summit and Copenhagen is that the leaders will be here from the start, rather than popping along for the last few days. This means there’s more chance of negotiations being hammered out in time.



Where were the previous climate summits held?



Meetings of the COP have been taking place every year since 1995. Notable years include COP3 (when the Kyoto Protocol was born), COP11 (the Montreal Action Plan) and COP15 in Copenhagen, which frustrated the watching world by failing to reach a binding agreement.