Governments adopted the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015 and, doing so, agreed to take measures to limit global warming to 1.5 to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The first round of national climate commitments, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), submitted by governments in 2015 fell short of what is necessary to prevent the worst climate impacts. However, foreseeing this, countries included five-year milestones/cycles in the Agreement’s design, intended to take stock of progress and encourage more ambitious contributions. Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement were planning to meet in Bonn in June 2020 to continue work and support greater ambition. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bonn Climate Change conference was postponed from June to October 2020. While a face-to-face meeting was not possible, the UNFCCC decided to hold a series of virtual events to keep climate action and momentum alive. Several events related to the work of the constituted bodies, which are the bodies that focus on implementing various aspects of the Convention and the Paris Agreement. Governments are called on to submit new or revised, more ambitious NDCs by the end of 2020.
By International Institute for Sustainable Development. IISD Reporting Services. June 12, 2020.
