Paris Agreement & COP29 Explained: A Complete Guide civilscentral.com

Climate change remains one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. This article dives deep into the Paris Agreement (COP21) and the recent COP29 Summit held in Baku, Azerbaijan, covering key outcomes, India’s role, and their significance for UPSC and JKAS exams.

📌 1. What is the Paris Agreement?

Adopted: December 2015 (COP21, Paris)
Came into Force: 4 November 2016
Parties: 196 countries

Goal:

Keep global average temperature rise well below 2°C, and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Key Elements:

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Climate Finance (Article 9)
Carbon Market Mechanism (Article 6)
Adaptation and Transparency Frameworks

🧭 2. India’s Commitments Under Paris Agreement

Reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33–35% by 2030 (from 2005 levels)
Achieve 40% installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels
Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes via afforestation
Leadership roles in International Solar Alliance (ISA) and LiFE Mission

📰 3. COP29: Held in Baku (Azerbaijan) | 11–22 November 2024

✅ Key Outcomes of COP29:

🔹 Area	🔍 Outcome
Climate Finance	New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG): $300 billion/year by 2035, with a roadmap toward $1.3 trillion/year
Carbon Markets	Finalized Article 6.2 & 6.4 mechanisms for transparent carbon credit trading
Loss & Damage	Operationalization of the Loss & Damage Fund to aid vulnerable countries
Adaptation	Urged all countries to submit National Adaptation Plans by 2025
Gender and Equity	Lima Work Programme extended by 10 years; gender action plan to be framed at COP30
Global Stocktake	First ever Global Stocktake concluded; countries urged to raise ambition in 2025 NDCs

📖 4. Relevance for UPSC & JKAS

📝 Prelims:

Definitions: NDCs, NCQG, Article 6, Loss & Damage
Facts: COP29 location (Baku), NCQG target, India’s NDCs, UNFCCC bodies

📚 Mains (GS-III: Environment):

Sample Questions:
- “Discuss the significance of COP29 for climate finance and carbon market reforms.”
- “Critically evaluate the evolution from Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement and its relevance to India.”
Answer Structure Tip:
- Introduction: State Paris Agreement goals
- Body: Cover outcomes from COP29, their implications
- Conclusion: Evaluate progress + challenges, especially from India’s standpoint

🇮🇳 5. India’s Stand at COP29

Advocated for equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR)
Demanded clear climate finance pathways for developing nations
Sought operational and simplified carbon market mechanisms
Pushed for consideration of lifestyle changes (Mission LiFE) as mitigation strategy

🔮 6. Way Forward to COP30 (Belém, Brazil – Nov 2025)

Formal adoption of the Gender Action Plan
Submission of updated NDCs by major emitters
Progress toward methane emissions cuts, deforestation reversal
Clarification of public vs private finance share in NCQG

📚 References:

UNFCCC Official Reports
Drishti IAS | Vision IAS | PMF IAS
The Hindu | Indian Express | Down to Earth
COP29 Summary Reports by UN & Media Outlets

🧠 Final Tip for Aspirants

Keep revising climate frameworks (UNFCCC, Paris, Kyoto, COP outcomes) with timelines and India’s policy responses. This topic is highly probable for both Prelims and Mains!