One hundred and fifty international world leaders met in Paris on Tuesday, December 1 to discuss COP21– the 21st meeting of the Conference of Parties. The conference will last until December 11 and strives to produce a deal that will make several changes to the world’s consumption of greenhouse gases and aim for a low-carbon future.
These conferences monitor international climate change and how world leaders are doing their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The United States and China are the two largest contributors of carbon in the world. Combined, these two countries make up nearly 40 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are the leading cause for climate change, and over time can spark an increase in average global temperature.
“Global warming has had a slow building process over the years,” Biology teacher Ms. Kercher said. “It will take years to see the effects of lowered carbon emissions. The effects will not be seen for years.”
This year has been one of the hottest years on record. The average temperature worldwide for October was 1.76 degrees hotter than average for the month, making it the warmest average temperature in Earth’s recorded history. If the increase in global temperature continues to increase, climate conditions will change dramatically. Rising sea levels, increased numbers of intense heat waves, and and a habitat loss for multiple organisms are all outcomes of rising temperatures.
“Global climate change has been on an exponential curve for years,” Environmental Studies teacher Ms. Fagan said. “We are heading toward a tipping point of disaster that will be impossible to reverse.”
This deal seeks to correct some of these issues. Over 50,000 participants, including officials from the United States government, United Nations, and other international organizations will attend the conference. The conclusion will be to establish a universal agreement of the world’s climate will bind world leaders to their part reducing their country’s emissions. With everyone’s contribution, the ultimate outcome will be to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius.
“Climate change is like a speeding car,” Ms. Fagan said. “This [climate deal] will help us take our foot off the accelerator of climate change. The effects might take a generation to appear, but they will still make a difference.”
