The Paris Agreement In The Canadian Context

Introduction

Ministers from 196 nations gathered on Dec. 12, 2015 to celebrate the signing of the Paris Agreement — a welcomed sight after two weeks of intense negotiations during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference. Heralded by many as an extraordinary achievement in diplomacy, the general consensus is that the Paris Agreement, while not perfect, is a step in the right direction. From a global perspective, one of the primary reasons for optimism is that two of the earth's heaviest greenhouse gas ("GHG") emitters, the United States and China, engaged in the negotiations and committed to specific GHG emission reduction targets. From a Canadian perspective, optimism stems from what will come after the federal government meets with the provinces to develop a national climate change strategy, scheduled to take place in the next 90 days.