Adopted by 195 party countries at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) held in Paris, France on 12 December 2015, the Paris Agreement brought all countries together for the first time under a binding agreement in terms of mitigation and adaptation to the climate crisis.

Entering into force on 4 November 2016, the agreement aims to keep the global average temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and, if possible, to limit it to 1.5 degrees.

Evaluating the 10th anniversary of the agreement’s adoption to Anadolu, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group Vice Chair Siir Kilkis described the Paris Agreement as a turning point in the fight against climate change.

Stating that the agreement contains many issues in a balanced way in the fight against the climate crisis, Kilkis said processes including net-zero emission targets have been defined and implemented worldwide in the 10-year period.

Kilkis stated that one of the most significant contributions of the Paris Agreement is its goal of limiting long-term global warming to well below 2°C and ideally to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

She noted that adaptation measures and cross-cutting issues have come to the fore along with mitigation efforts to limit global warming under the Paris Agreement.

“Under the agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are reviewedevery five years, have been established,” Kilkis said. “Currently, thanks to the Paris Agreement, carbon emissions are expected to be reduced by 12% in 2035 compared to 2019. In a world without the Paris Agreement, emissions could have been expected to increase by at least 20%.”

“Efforts fall short”

Kilkis warned that global average temperature increase is currently heading toward a dangerous trajectory of 2.8 degrees Celsius, stressing that current efforts fall short.

She highlighted that the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which is essential to limit temperature rise to well below 2°C and preferably to 1.5°C, must be much greater.

Stressing the need to scale up solutions and ensure equal access to them during the implementation phase of the agreement, Kilkis said:

“The agreement underlines the role of mitigation efforts in significantly reducing climate-related risks and impacts. Fair access to opportunities focused on sustainable development and the eradication of poverty are addressed. It commits to strengthening climate-focused scientific knowledge, including regular observation and research of the climate system to support decision-making while taking ecosystem integrity into account. It highlights the expansion of climate-resilient and low-emission solutions that do not threaten food production. In addition to mobilizing climate finance, the development and transfer of technology, as well as the acceleration, encouragement and activation of innovation, are critical.”

Kilkis said Türkiye’s Long-Term Climate Strategy includes important developments for implementing climate action and the 2053 net-zero emissions target, adding that the strategy for 2030 includes mitigation- and adaptation-focused action plans covering sectors such as energy, industry, buildings, transport, waste and agriculture.

“Success lies in processes established under the agreement”

Christina Voigt, a law professor at the University of Oslo said the Paris Agreement set a goal to increase global effort towards climate change, stressing that that the agreement is the only international document specifically addressing the climate change threat with almost universal participation.

Mentioning that the Paris Agreement has significant outcomes, Voigt said:

“In 2015, temperatures by the end of the century were projected to exceed 4°C, but today they are estimated at 2.6°C. This is still too high, but we are bending the curve and it is moving in the right direction. Also, the 1.5 target is now known worldwide and provides a collective direction. Success lies in the processes established under the agreement. The nature of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), their iterative structure, being the same for all parties, and being created through the ‘enhanced transparency framework’ provide openness and transparency. The shortcomings show that we need to move faster. We must take the processes around NDCs more seriously and push governments to submit NDCs that reflect the highest ambition each state can achieve. There is still a long way to go.”

Recalling that the US is set to withdraw from the agreement on Jan. 25, 2026, following a decision by the Trump administration, Voigt said the move was “a slap in the face” for those working on climate change.

She said that despite the US withdrawal, other parties remain committed and that COP30 showed multilateralism can progress without the US.

Voigt outlined the steps countries can take to meet Paris Agreement goals:

“Countries must address the drivers of greenhouse gas emissions and enact regulations, laws, and statutes to make emissions much more costly or prohibit them completely. Greenhouse gases are pollution and must be treated as such in legal systems. These laws must be effectively enforced. Depending on national circumstances, regulations should be adjusted for sectors such as deforestation, fossil fuel production and consumption, transport and agriculture. While approaches differ among states, every country must do its utmost to address the emissions it causes,” she said.