The Paris Agreement is a landmark climate accord that was signed by 195 countries in 2015. It aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with a target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. The agreement has been in effect since November 2016, and its implementation has been reviewed and updated annually at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
One of the key provisions of the Paris Agreement is Article 6, which deals with carbon markets and cooperative approaches to reducing emissions. Article 6 allows countries to trade emissions reductions and to use international cooperation to achieve their climate goals. However, the text of Article 6 has been a subject of intense negotiations for several years, with concerns over its potential impact on the integrity of the global carbon market.
The latest version of the text was adopted at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021. The text includes provisions for a “mechanism to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable development,” as well as a framework to govern the transfer of mitigation outcomes between countries.
One of the most contentious issues in the negotiations over Article 6 has been the potential for double-counting of emissions reductions. Some countries have argued that the transfer of emissions reductions should be counted only once, while others have pushed for a more flexible approach. The final text of Article 6 allows for the use of “internationally transferred mitigation outcomes,” but also includes safeguards to prevent double-counting.
Another issue that has been addressed in the latest version of the text is the role of non-state actors in carbon markets. The text encourages the participation of non-state actors such as businesses and civil society organizations in the market, while also ensuring that their actions are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The adoption of the text of Article 6 at the Glasgow conference is a significant step forward for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. However, it remains to be seen how the provisions of Article 6 will be put into practice and how effective they will be in reducing global emissions. Nevertheless, the Paris Agreement and its provisions, including Article 6, represent a crucial effort to limit the impacts of climate change and to create a more sustainable future.