The Centre for Science and Environment Director General Sunita Narain said here that the framing of the Agreement under the principles of common but differentiated responsibility of the UNFCCC was a positive feature, since this would guide the obligations of developing countries. However, the absence of a reference to carbon budget and allocation of some quantum of emissions for developing nations was disappointing. The enabling of emissions trading would work in favour of rich nations, since developing countries would have to fulfill their own national pledges and not be in a position to trade in emissions. Progressive tightening of climate goals by 2025 would leave little differentiation in real terms to help nations that are yet to achieve economic progress.
Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), a coalition made up of 141 civil society groups today said the Paris Agreement text is "durable and dynamic but has fallen short on being fully fair and responsive to future needs."
“If adopted, all countries will have to agree to act together on climate change and make efforts reflecting their common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities to pursue efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5 C that the existing INDCs will not be able to achieve. The onus is now on developed countries to fulfill their promises and scale up climate finance flows to support mitigation and adaptation efforts, especially for most vulnerable countries,” Sanjay Vashist, Director, Climate Action Network South Asia said.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhary, Executive Director of Coastal Association for Social Transformation Trust of Bangladesh said the ‘Most Vulnerable Countries’ had lost their right to claim liabilities and compensation for ‘Loss and Damage’. Countries like Bangladesh would not be able to seek assistance from richer nations and would be left to face up to these disasters themselves. "Those who have polluted the planet most have gone scot free in this iteration of text,” he said.
CANSA Sri Lanka said the Paris Agreement provided the basis for a compliance mechanism to address climate change. It also ensured that the entry into force would be an effective one, with a two trigger entry into force system, which will ensure that there is increased effectiveness when the Agreement comes into effect, according to Vositha Wijenayake, a legal expert with the NGO.
Sara Shaw, Friends of the Earth International climate justice and energy coordinator for NGO Friends of the Earth International said, “Rich countries have moved the goal posts so far that we are left with a sham of a deal in Paris. Through piecemeal pledges and bullying tactics, rich countries have pushed through a very bad deal.”
Describing the Agreement as strong, Andrew Steer, President and CEO World Resources Institute said while was not sufficient to solve the problem alone, it put the world on a path where a solution was possible. “The Paris Agreement has the power to send loud, clear signals to economic markets that there’s no turning back from the transition to a zero-carbon economy."
Samantha Smith, Leader of the Global Climate and Energy Initiative, WWF, said “Governments have critically agreed to keep warming well below 2C and aim to limit temperature increase to 1.5C. Everything they do from now on must be measured against that goal.
"The wheel of climate action turns slowly, but in Paris it has turned. This deal puts the fossil fuel industry on the wrong side of history," Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director, Greenpeace International said.
The NGO Avaaz, which has been running a campaign for firm climate action including in India, said, if agreed, this deal would represent a turning point in history, paving the way for the shift to 100 per cent clean energy that the world wanted and the planet needed.
"By marching in the streets, calling leaders and signing petitions, people everywhere created this moment, and now people everywhere will deliver on it to secure the future of humanity,” Emma Ruby-Sachs, acting executive director of Avaaz, said.
