Prospects for climate governance in 2019-23

Subject

Prospects for climate governance in 2019-23.

Significance

Meetings at the 24th conference of the UN Climate Change Convention (COP 24) began in Katowice on December 2, a day earlier than planned, amid widespread concern over global warming. Recent scientific assessments highlighting the imminent nature of the threat have so far triggered little meaningful action on global emissions. Although the Paris Agreement is due to move into its implementation phase in 2020, no shift in current emission trends is expected by 2023, and progress will be highly dependent on unfavourable domestic political conditions in major emitter countries.