It has been a decade since the establishment of the United Nations’ Paris Agreement, which legally binds its signatories to act to fight climate change. The world has come a long way in that time, by investing heavily in decarbonization efforts and significantly increasing global renewable energy capacity. However, international organizations and scientists worldwide warn that we are likely not on track to meet most Paris Agreement targets.
The Paris Agreement Overview
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the main international agreement on climate action. It was during a meeting of the parties to the UNFCCC in 2015 that several countries adopted the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement now has 195 signatories – 194 States plus the European Union. The United States was among the first countries to sign the agreement, but has since announced its withdrawal from the accord. In January, President Trump signed an executive order titled Putting America First In International Environmental Agreements, to withdraw the United States from the agreement. The U.S. will officially leave the Paris Agreement in January 2026.
By signing the agreement, signatories agreed to strive towards limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C by the end of the century. Parties are required to commit to climate action by submitting climate action plans to reduce their emissions, with governments communicating their action plans every five years.
10 Years On
A decade on from its formation, the Paris Agreement has spurred global change, as more countries than ever have committed to a wide range of climate targets. The transition from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives is underway, investment in cleantech has risen dramatically, and the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) is growing year on year. This has resulted in a number of achievements in line with Paris Agreement targets.
However, despite the progress so far, most signatories are still falling short on their climate targets, as the world continues to heat up and many countries still rely heavily on fossil fuels for heating and power.
Slowing Global Warming
In 2015, the world was on track for a temperature rise of around 4°C by 2100.
The International Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that the world is not on track to limit global heating to 1.5°C, and it will be unable to reach this target if it continues to pursue new fossil fuel exploration.
Despite not slowing the temperature rise to the intended target, current projections for global warming stand at between 2.3°C and 2.8°C, demonstrating that global efforts to decarbonize and to shift to renewable energy have had a significant impact. Nevertheless, as warned by climate scientists, exceeding the 1.5°C global warming limit could trigger multiple climate tipping points.
Renewable Energy Uptake
The world’s renewable energy capacity has grown at an accelerated pace over the last decade, particularly in certain areas of the world, such as China, Brazil, the United States, and the European Union.
In 2024, low-carbon sources – renewables and nuclear – contributed 40.9% of the world’s electricity generation, overtaking the 40% mark for the first time since the 1940s, according to data from global energy think tank Ember.
However, to stay on track to meet the 11.2 TW target established in the COP28 climate summit by 2030, the world would need to add 1,122 GW of capacity a year from 2025. This means that despite the significant growth seen in global renewable energy capacity in recent years, we are still falling behind on key targets.
Electric Vehicle Uptake
In addition to country-level achievements, there has been a significant cultural shift in many parts of the world, with consumers increasingly transitioning from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). This has often been supported by national and local policies, with several cities introducing bans on ICE vehicles and many governments providing financial incentives to support EV uptake.
In 2024, electric car sales exceeded 17 million worldwide, marking an increase of over 25% from the previous year. China dominates the market, recording over 11 million EV sales last year.
However, the scrapping of financial incentives for consumers in some countries, as well as an underinvestment in EV charging infrastructure in much of the world, means that EV uptake has been increasing at a slower rate than previously anticipated. Consumer concerns around range, charging time, and the cost of EVs have exacerbated this trend.
The Lack of Contribution by Wealthy States
When signing the Paris Agreement, the intention that richer countries would commit more to achieving global climate goals was made clear. Wealthy industrialized countries were expected to financially support developing countries to decarbonize and develop their renewable energy capacity.
In 2024, countries worldwide agreed that a total of $1.3 trillion would be required each year by 2035 to help developing countries address climate harms, including $300 billion a year in public financing from rich countries. However, this funding support has yet to be seen.
While significant progress has been made towards achieving several of the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, governments worldwide must act at a more accelerated pace to achieve their climate pledges and meet more of the targets set out in the agreement to help tackle climate change.
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