COP21 Starts

The UN Climate Change Conference in Paris was officially opened at 10 am local time today, and will kick off with a Leaders Event where an estimated 150 presidents, prime ministers and heads of states will deliver their  speeches. 

This is the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the eleventh session of the COP serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP).

The COP 21 is scheduled to run until 11 December.

The expected outcome of the conference is to build a “Paris Climate Alliance”, capable of keeping the average global temperature rise below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.

The alliance will have four components: the negotiation of a universal agreement in accordance with the Durban mandate to keep within the 2°C limit; the presentation by all countries of their national contributions prior to COP21; the financial aspect, which should enable support for developing countries and financing of the transition towards low-carbon, resilient economies before and after 2020; and the strengthening of the commitments of civil society and non-governmental stakeholders and the multi-partner initiatives of Lima-Paris Action Agenda, in order to involve all stakeholders and begin concrete actions prior to the entry into force of the future agreement in 2020.