In recent years, the problem of global climate change has received increasing attention. Climate change has been caused by a significant increase in global greenhouse gas emissions (since the Industrial Revolution) and has led to various problems including increasing temperatures, rising sea levels and more extreme weather conditions including droughts and floods.

Another problem of climate change is adaptation, which will see many (mainly developing) countries being forced to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change, including reduced crop yields caused by droughts. In response, the international community has adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (‘UNFCCC’) and the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, which require the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by all countries.

In 2015 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) held in Paris, the Paris Climate Agreement was adopted by 196 parties. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change falling under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (NFCCC). This is the first time that a binding agreement brings all nations together to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. South Africa is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and has made commitments to reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) in terms of this agreement.

How does the Paris Agreement to the United Nations work?

The Paris Agreement works on a five-year cycle where countries are required to increase and accelerate their actions to limit global warming. Countries must submit their national climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Each NDC is meant to show an increase in action compared to the previous version. South Africa has a relatively high level of greenhouse gas emissions, because most of South Africa’s energy is produced from coal. South Africa and Southern Africa have been identified as a climate change hotspot, and a study has shown that Southern Africa is heating at twice the global average rate. The South African government has acknowledged the urgency of responding to climate change. However, it is important that any climate change-related measures that are implemented do not impact negatively on the poor.