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[h=4]Paris climate deal: what comes next[/h]Nations must now begin taking tough steps to fulfill the goal of slowing global warming.
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Delegates from 195 countries have approved a historic climate accord that seeks to slow the rise of greenhouse gasses. Here is what you need to know about the Paris Agreement. VPC
French President Francois Hollande (R), raises hands in salute with other officials after adoption of a historic global warming pact in Le Bourget, north of Paris, on Dec. 12, 2015.(Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
PARIS — First there were<span style="color: Red;">*</span>tears, hugs and a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>standing ovation that greeted approval of a historic international<span style="color: Red;">*</span>climate deal. Now<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the world's nations must focus on the nitty-gritty<span style="color: Red;">*</span>details to implement a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>complex, 31-page plan to limit the rise of global warming this century.
“This agreement was part of a road through Paris, not ending in Paris,” said Rodne Galicha of the Philippine environmental coalition<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Aksyon Klima. “The world’s efforts cannot end here with this deal.”
The Paris agreement, the culmination of four grueling years of talks, commits the 195 nations that approved it<span style="color: Red;">*</span><span style="color: Red;">*</span>to limit global warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, through 2100<span style="color: Red;">*</span>compared to pre-industrial levels.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>It also promises to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>help put poor countries on a pathway to develop their economies in an environmentally friendly way.
USA TODAY
Nations strike historic deal on climate change
In the next few weeks, the agreement will be “deposited” at United Nations headquarters in New York, where<span style="color: Red;">*</span>ambassadors will be asked to sign on behalf of their countries starting in April. After that, at least 55 countries representing at least 55% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming must ratify the deal so<span style="color: Red;">*</span>it can<span style="color: Red;">*</span>enter into force by Jan. 1, 2020.
U.S. ratification would require only President Obama’s signature,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>not Senate approval,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>since the agreement was crafted in a way so it would not be a treaty requiring<span style="color: Red;">*</span>ratification from a Republican-controlled Senate that might be hostile to the accord.
USA TODAY
Kerry: Climate deal will transform economy
The pact<span style="color: Red;">*</span>also requires specific climate action in each country. The United States, for example, has promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 by 26% to 28% compared to 2005 levels.
When Obama addressed the opening of the climate summit, he said meeting those goals required immediate action, including incentives for renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, and less use of high-emission fossil fuels, including<span style="color: Red;">*</span>coal, oil, and natural gas.
In all, 187 countries have made similar pledges of their own in the lead-up to the talks.
Next year,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>when the climate summit reconvenes in Morocco, negotiators<span style="color: Red;">*</span>will begin to focus on a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>“ratcheting mechanism” that<span style="color: Red;">*</span>aims to force countries to reduce their emissions and strengthen other climate initiatives as technology improves and circumstances change.
“In Paris, the human race joined together in a common cause, but what is really important is what countries do after this,” said Kumi Naidoo, executive director of Greenpeace International. “All eyes will be watching because this deal on its own won’t dig us out of the hole we’re in. But it makes the sides of the hole less steep.”
For Paris, the next step is recovering from a climate summit hangover. Many French commentators said the negotiations helped distract the city's attention from the deadly Nov. 13 terror attacks that killed 130 people.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The talks took place amid extra-tight security throughout the city, and were housed in a sprawling, temporary complex put together on the runways of a small airport. It is already being torn down.
“It’s kind of sad to see this area that had so much activity for the last two weeks being taken apart,” said Richard Aguillon, 29, one of the workers helping with the dismantling efforts on Sunday. “But we were just talking about it earlier and all of us, the workers here, we are proud this big agreement was made in Paris, here in this temporary city we helped construct.”
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