The Lima Agreement Document: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
The Lima Agreement Document, also known as the Lima Call for Climate Action, is a crucial international agreement between 195 countries to address the issue of climate change. The document was produced during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference held in Lima, Peru in 2014.
The Lima Agreement Document serves as a precursor to the Paris Agreement, which was adopted a year later in 2015. The document outlines the key elements that countries must consider when developing their individual plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.
Some of the key features of the Lima Agreement Document include:
– The need for countries to set clear and ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with the aim of keeping global temperatures from rising more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
– The requirement for countries to submit their emissions reduction plans known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the UNFCCC. These plans must be updated and submitted every five years, with each subsequent plan being more ambitious than the last.
– The establishment of a framework to provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries to help them reduce their emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The Lima Agreement Document is significant because it lays the foundation for the Paris Agreement, which is considered the most comprehensive international agreement to address climate change. The Paris Agreement builds on the Lima Agreement Document by requiring even greater emissions reductions and financial assistance for developing countries.
The Lima Agreement Document also serves as a reminder of the urgent need to address climate change, particularly in developing countries where the impacts are often most severe. The document acknowledges the disproportionate burden that climate change places on vulnerable communities and calls for effective and equitable solutions.
In conclusion, the Lima Agreement Document is a critical international agreement that sets the framework for countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. While it is not as well-known as the Paris Agreement, it played a crucial role in laying the groundwork for that historic agreement. As we continue to confront the challenges of climate change, the Lima Agreement Document remains an important reminder of the urgency of the issue and the need for global cooperation.