The Paris Agreement Five Years On

12 December 2020 marks the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Five years after Paris, the climate crisis has worsened, impacting the poorest and most vulnerable countries the worst, and inflicting already severe loss and damage. Signatory states are preparing to submit updated and more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction pledges, the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) for Glasgow in 2021 - with the United States under a Biden Administration expected to join in the effort. How can we increase targets to remain below 2 degrees Celsius global warming and finds ways to achieve them in a socially and gender-just manner? What financing contributions are needed to support developing countries? What false solutions must be avoided? And how can we push the urgently needed radical course change in pursuit of climate justice? We explore those questions in various contributions.

Photo of Joe Biden and John Kerry together

"Build Back Greener?" Biden's Plan for America's International Climate Commitment

Analysis

With the promise to re-enter the Paris Agreement early next year and to update the US nationally determined contribution (NDC) for COP 26 in Glasgow, this analysis looks at what the incoming Biden administration needs to do to regain its international climate credibility.

By Liane Schalatek

5 years later - Happy Birthday, Paris Agreement?

Analysis

December 12, 2020, will be the 5th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement. This analysis provides important materials and pursues the questions: Where do we stand in dealing with the climate crisis? What false solutions must be avoided? And how can we push the urgently needed radical course change in pursuit of climate justice?

By Lili Fuhr , Linda Schneider , Liane Schalatek and Lisa Tostado

Climate Finance Fundamentals 10: Gender and Climate Finance

The Paris Agreement anchored gender equality and the empowerment of women as a core principle in its preamble, mandates gender-responsive adaptation and capacity-building efforts This analysis looks at the progress made, five years after Paris, in integrating gender in the climate funds supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

pdf

Climate Finance Fundamentals 11: The Green Climate Fund

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the most important multilateral climate fund supporting developing countries in implementing their climate goals to meet Paris Agreement targets. Five years after Paris, what has the GCF accomplished and how can it better support transformative change? This analysis provides an overview.

pdf

Lessons from COVID‑19 for addressing loss and damage in vulnerable developing countries

pdf