The international agreement that aims to combat climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is known as the Paris Agreement.
Overview of the Paris Agreement:
The Paris Agreement is a landmark environmental accord that was adopted on December 12, 2015, during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris, France. It came into force on November 4, 2016.
Key Objectives:
1. Limit global temperature rise: To keep the increase in global average temperature well below 2°C and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
2. Enhance adaptive capacity: To strengthen countries’ abilities to deal with the impacts of climate change.
3. Financial and technological support: Developed countries are expected to provide support to developing nations to help them achieve their climate goals.
4. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Each country must submit its own plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and update it every five years.
Significance:
The Paris Agreement marked the first time all nations came together to take collective action against climate change. It is a legally binding treaty, although the targets (NDCs) set by each country are determined nationally and are not legally enforceable.
India's Role:
India is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and has committed to ambitious goals including increasing the share of non-fossil fuel energy and reducing emissions intensity of GDP.
Conclusion:
To address the urgent threat of climate change and global warming, the Paris Agreement stands as the most comprehensive and unified global effort to mitigate temperature rise and promote sustainability.
Therefore, the correct answer is: Paris Agreement.