The Paris Agreement is a complex international treaty that outlines global efforts to combat climate change. It consists of various articles that cover different aspects of the agreement.
Let’s see briefly about each of these 29 articles,
Article 1 – Overall Objective: The main objective of the Paris Agreement is to keep the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Article 2 – Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Parties (countries) are required to prepare and communicate their NDCs, which are their specific plans and targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience. NDCs are expected to be updated and enhanced over time.
Article 3 – Mitigation: This article emphasizes the importance of achieving emissions reductions while taking into account various circumstances, capabilities, and development stages of different countries. It encourages parties to progressively enhance their efforts.
Article 4 – Adaptation: Parties are urged to enhance their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Developed countries are expected to provide support for adaptation efforts in developing countries.
Article 5 – Loss and Damage: This article acknowledges the importance of addressing loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change, especially in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable.
Article 6 – Cooperative Approaches: This article provides a framework for market and non-market mechanisms to enhance the ambition of emissions reductions. It includes provisions for emissions trading, sustainable development co-benefits, and the use of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes.
Article 7 – Capacity Building: Parties recognize the importance of capacity building to enable effective climate action, especially in developing countries.
Article 8 – Financial Support: Developed countries commit to providing financial resources to assist developing countries in their mitigation and adaptation efforts, as well as to support capacity building and technology development and transfer.
Article 9 – Technology Transfer: Parties agree to enhance the development and transfer of environmentally friendly technologies to support adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Article 10 – Transparency: Parties commit to regularly reporting on their emissions and progress towards their NDCs. This transparency helps ensure accountability and allows for the assessment of global progress.
Article 11 – Global Stocktake: This article establishes a mechanism to periodically review collective progress towards the agreement’s goals and to inform future NDCs.
Article 12 – Entry into Force and Implementation: The conditions for the agreement’s entry into force are outlined, and it specifies that it will be implemented under the guidance of the Conference of the Parties (COP).
Article 13 – Enhanced Transparency Framework: This article outlines a robust transparency framework to ensure that countries are accountable for their climate actions. It requires regular reporting of information related to emissions, progress towards NDCs, and support provided and received. The framework involves both technical reviews and a facilitative, multilateral consideration of progress.
Article 14 – Global Stocktake: This article establishes a mechanism for a global stocktake to assess collective progress towards the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals. The stocktake occurs every five years and informs the parties’ subsequent NDCs.
Article 15 – Facilitating Implementation and Compliance: This article establishes a committee to promote compliance with the Paris Agreement. The committee assists parties in implementing their commitments and provides recommendations for addressing non-compliance.
Article 16 – Dispute Settlement: This article outlines procedures for resolving disputes between parties regarding the implementation and interpretation of the Paris Agreement. Parties are encouraged to settle disputes through negotiations, and a specific mechanism is provided for cases that cannot be resolved in this manner.
Article 17 – Amendments: This article establishes procedures for amending the Paris Agreement. Amendments can be proposed and adopted by parties, subject to specific conditions.
Article 18 – Withdrawal: This article allows parties to withdraw from the Paris Agreement after being a party for at least three years. There is a one-year notice period, and the withdrawal takes effect after that period.
Article 19 – Depositary: This article designates the Secretary-General of the United Nations as the depositary of the Paris Agreement. The depositary is responsible for receiving and maintaining records of ratifications, accessions, and other official communications.
Article 20 – Signature: Parties to the agreement have the option to sign it, indicating their intention to be bound by it. Signature does not imply immediate legal commitment; ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession is required for that.
Article 21 – Ratification, Acceptance, Approval, or Accession: This article specifies the procedures through which parties formally join the Paris Agreement, including ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession.
Article 22 – Entry into Force: This article outlines the conditions for the Paris Agreement to enter into force, requiring a specific number of ratifications or accessions by parties.
Article 23 – Reservations: Parties cannot make reservations to the provisions of the Paris Agreement; they must accept, approve, or ratify it without modifications.
Article 24 – Relationship with the Convention: This article clarifies the relationship between the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), stating that the two agreements are linked but distinct.
Article 25 – Depositary Functions: This article designates the depositary to perform certain functions related to amendments, communications, and notifications.
Article 26 – Authentic Texts: The agreement is provided in six official languages of the United Nations, and each text is considered equally authentic.
Article 27 – Registration: This article establishes a registry to facilitate the recording and tracking of various information, including NDCs and support provided and received.
Article 28 – Secretariat: This article assigns responsibilities to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC to support the Paris Agreement’s implementation.
Article 29 – Adoption: This article indicates that the Paris Agreement was adopted on a specific date and is open for signature by parties.
Above articles are brief introduction about all the articles, to know more about them you can refer