ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the origin, content and essential features of the Paris Agreement of 2015 and explains why it has commanded near universal support and participation from the international community. It describes how the Paris Agreement, nonetheless, remains an international pact whose ambitious goals can only be achieved through strong and active cooperation amongst its Parties. In June 2017, US President Donald Trump announced his intent to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is the third generation of international treaties designed to respond to the challenge of climate change. The Paris Agreement is one of the first of a new generation of multilateral environmental agreements in that it combines a number of “top-down” and “bottom-up” elements. The Paris Agreement goals address global emissions and thus have the potential to cover all sources of emissions that contribute to anthropogenic climate change, including those originating from international aviation and maritime operations.
