Impact of the Paris Agreement on agriculture, energy, and economy

Abstract

The Paris Agreement is the third important international legal agreement in human history to address climate change, following the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which influenced the post-2020 global climate governance landscape. Compared with the previous ones, the Paris Agreement is more equitable and feasible. It conveys stronger global willingness in the area of low carbon transition and sets out a clearer global vision in the area of the energy revolution. This article summarizes the key initiatives of the Paris Agreement and also found that Paris Agreement has profound implications for the agriculture sector and energy sectors. By transferring the carbon emitter into the carbon sink and balancing the food security issues and land-based greenhouse gas emission reduction measures, the agriculture sector would contribute considerable efforts to the abatement mission. The energy sector, on the other hand, generally explores the pragmatic patterns of paradigm shift. Without the transformation and upgrading of these two largest greenhouse gas emission sectors, the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement could not be fulfilled, and humankind’s wellbeing would be further undermined. In addition, a critical element of the Paris Agreement, the green finance issue, is discussed. Achieving the Paris Agreement goals needs numerous investments into relevant fields and important players’ collaborations globally.