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COP21 climate change summit in Paris reaches an agreement between 195 countries to limit the rise in the global average

COP21 climate change summit in Paris reaches an agreement between 195 countries to limit the rise in the global average temperature to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels

The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris, France. As of January 2026, 194 members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are parties to the agreement. Of the three UNFCCC member states which have not ratified the agreement, the only major emitter is Iran.

Historical Significance

The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016.

Events Before

  1. Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is t

    Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is the first time no Englishman has been in the final

  2. English "Roxy Music" singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry [68] divorces second wife English public relations specialist Amanda

    English "Roxy Music" singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry [68] divorces second wife English public relations specialist Amanda Sheppard [32] after a year and a half of marriage

  3. Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the c

    Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the capital, Kiev, culminating after five days in the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych

  4. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive searc

    Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive search effort in history and one of the most enduring aviation mysteries

  5. Russia formally annexes Crimea amid international condemnation

    In February and March 2014, Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine, occupied it, and then annexed it after an illegitimate referendum.

Events After

  1. After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31 people, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood-threatened M

    After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31 people, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood-threatened Memphis

  2. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, six months after hi

    Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, six months after his escape from prison

  3. American singer-actress Katharine McPhee (31) divorces producer Nick Cokas (50) after 8 years of marriage

    American singer-actress Katharine McPhee (31) divorces producer Nick Cokas (50) after 8 years of marriage

  4. Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana in the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodo

    Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana in the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches in nearly 1,000 years

  5. Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Mich

    Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Michelle

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 12, 2015?
The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris, France.
Why is COP21 climate change summit in Paris reaches an agreement between 195 countri... significant?
The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016.

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