The Copenhagen Agreement: What You Need to Know

The Copenhagen Agreement, also known as the Copenhagen Accord, is a political agreement that was reached at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The conference, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, was attended by representatives from 193 countries, and its main objective was to negotiate a new global climate change treaty to replace the expiring Kyoto Protocol.

The Copenhagen Agreement is a non-legally binding agreement that sets out a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global temperature rises to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. It also includes a goal of providing developing countries with $100 billion per year in financial support for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

One of the key aspects of the Copenhagen Agreement is that it recognizes the importance of emission reduction targets for developed and developing countries. It also acknowledges the need for a common reporting system to track the progress of these targets and for regular reviews of the effectiveness of the agreement in achieving its goals.

Despite its intentions, the Copenhagen Agreement has been criticized for its lack of concrete commitments and legally binding agreements. Many environmental activists and scientists believe that the agreement falls far short of what is needed to prevent catastrophic effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels, devastating weather events, and mass extinction of species.

However, the Copenhagen Agreement was a significant step forward in global climate change negotiations. It marked the first time that both developed and developing countries agreed to work together to address climate change, and it provided a foundation for future climate change agreements.

Since the Copenhagen Agreement, the world has seen the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, which sets out more specific and ambitious commitments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global temperature rises. The Paris Agreement has been signed by 197 countries and is widely seen as a more effective and comprehensive agreement than the Copenhagen Agreement.

In conclusion, while the Copenhagen Agreement may have fallen short of its goals, it remains an important milestone in global efforts to address climate change. It paved the way for future international agreements and highlighted the urgent need for action to protect the planet and its inhabitants.