For the first time in history, world leaders and negotiators from 187 countries have reached an agreement to do their part in reducing emissions to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Meeting at the Conference of Parties (COP-21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris Nov. 30-Dec.12, world leaders and negotiators reached an agreement on Dec. 12 that is tougher than observers had initially anticipated, or even hoped. It seeks to hold the global temperature increase due to climate change to 1.5° C, more ambitious than the 2 ° C increase environmental advocates had hoped for. Scientists have said that the global temperature must not increase more than 2° C in order for the worst effects of climate change to be avoided.