How will the world actually deliver on the Paris climate ambition to hold global warming to no more than 1.5°C? It’s a tough scientific and technical challenge.
Forest conservation has been a contentious issue in international climate change discussions for years, but now developing countries are embracing the need to protect their forests.
The pressure to pledge for 1.5°C grew throughout the Paris summit.
Reuters/Jacky Naegelen
Bill Hare, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
The inclusion of a 1.5°C goal in the Paris climate deal might have surprised some observers. But in reality, the diplomatic groundwork was laid years before.
Laurent Fabius has brought the gavel down on a successful deal.
Reuters/Stephane Mahe
The Paris Agreement recognizes the reality of global environmental pacts: the private sector must lead transition to low-carbon technology and civil society must keep up the pressure to act.
The Paris climate summit yielded a pact to reduce air pollutants that contribute to global warming but missed a chance to address the interlinked effects of agriculture and climate.
Bringing down the gavel, and bringing down the house: French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius symbolically ended the Paris climate talks, applauded by UN climate chief Christiana Figueres.
Reuters/Stephane Mahe
What’s next, now that the Paris climate summit is over? We’ve created a special report for you, featuring two dozen of our best articles on the scientific, political and economic challenges ahead.
Researchers and NGOs will be necessary to ensure climate pledges are kept.
Reuters
Research universities and nongovernmental organizations have an important role to play in helping countries reach their goals.
To decarbonise the electricity sector, Australia could increase the volume of renewables while closing old fossil fuel power stations.
Wind turbine image from www.shutterstock.com
Under the Paris climate agreement, Australia has stated that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. How will we achieve this?
Scientists need to get comfortable with dealing with people and their feelings.
crowd from www.shutterstock.com
Faith Kearns, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Scientists need to be comfortable dealing with subjective views, rather than empirical data, and people’s feelings to make progress in addressing climate change.
While low emissions technology might help coal, there are plenty of other energy sources competing in the post-Paris climate race.
Coal image from www.shutterstock.com
The Paris climate deal has been criticised for not being strong enough. But behavioural economics studies show weak deals can work out better in the long run.