Climate change after Paris: from turning point to transformation

COP 21 was the most successful climate change conference ever. This article lays out eight key ways in which the Paris Conference changed the game: the shift in emphasis towards national action; cementing of the below 2 °C goal and going further to reference 1.5 °C; the addition of ‘global peaking’ and balance between emissions and removals as supplementary goals; global stock-taking every five years with no backsliding; much more nuanced differentiation between developed and developing countries; greater recognition of adaptation and the inclusion of loss and damage; new developments on finance, including stronger reporting provisions; and renewed recognition of market mechanisms.Policy announcements and initiatives made outside of the formal negotiations were also spectacular in scale and scope, suggesting that a new sustainable growth model is underway. At the same time, non-state actors are becoming the engine of both mitigation and adaptation action. There are several reasons for the success of COP 21, including the positive underlying economic realities, a strong determination to succeed on the part of all governments, outstanding diplomacy on the part of the French Presidency and the realization that all must participate in solving the huge global challenge posed by climate change. The game is not over, however. Targets now need to be exceeded and strengthened, without waiting for the formal review processes. Implementation rules must be developed and the pledged support for developing countries must be actioned. The Paris Agreement provides the directional signal, but it is through its implementation that its ultimate success will be judged.Policy relevanceThis article, which presents the perspective of a senior international climate change official, will assist policy makers in better understanding the Paris Agreement and its achievements, along with wider dynamics in the international climate change regime.