New Proposal Outlines Key Elements for a Global Climate Pact

Coinciding with U.N. climate talks in Lima, Peru, this week, a consortium of policy experts has released a proposal

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Key components of a global climate pact
outlining the key ingredients of a comprehensive climate agreement in Paris next year. Three major components of such a pact, the group said, will be a long-term plan to phase out all greenhouse gas emissions as early as possible in the second half of this century; a long-term goal of reducing the vulnerability and building the resilience of communities facing climate impacts; and establishing five-year cycles for assessing and strengthening nations’ actions to cut emissions and adapt to climate change. The proposal stresses “fairness, equity, and justice in climate actions,” and suggests different timelines and responsibilities for developed and developing countries. The analysis, from experts at 10 research institutions, is based on interviews with climate negotiators and hundreds of government representatives.