World leaders have been arriving in Paris to talk tough on climate change, as the COP21 summit gets underway. The aim of the international
ADVERTISEMENTWorld leaders have been arriving in Paris to talk tough on climate change, as the COP21 summit gets underway.
The aim of the international conference is to bring about a wind of change – striking a deal that turn countries away from a dependence on fossil fuels and towards cleaner energies, such as solar power, instead.
“It’s much better to have an agreement, even if it’s insufficient, than no agreement at all,” said climatologist Jean-Pascal van Ypersele.
Pascal Canfin, from the World Resources Institute, added: “Everyone knows that we need more than just intent, to reach the goal of limiting warming to two degrees (Celsius).
“The economic world is actually mobilising, the financial world too, so the political decision is now easier than it was in 2009 in Copenhagen.”
France has said that almost all governments have outlined plans for fighting global warming beyond 2020.
But it is widely acknowledged that the talks in Paris will not be easy.
“Technical negotiations have started ahead of the main programme,” said euronews reporter Grégoire Lory, who is at the summit in Le Bourget, near Paris.
“This is to give more time and means to strike an agreement within the deadline set by the United Nations. The 195 countries represented in Paris have until the 11th of December to reach a compromise.”