by DanJacobson, Capitol Weekly | Link to article
As the pixels settle on the agreement reached at COP 21 — the United Nations’ effort to stave off the worst impacts of global warming by getting countries to limit the man made pollution that accelerates — there is a lot to learn and a roadmap of next steps that need to happen.
The Paris agreement marks the first time that 195 countries have committed to act to reduce global warming. And one key element is that countries “would pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C”. Scientists teach that this benchmark is critical to avoid devastating impacts of climate change that could render the planet uninhabitable. The document includes provisions to track, verify, and update individual national pollution reduction strategies every five years.