Friends of the Earth International Assessment of the Paris Agreement

Friends of the Earth International concludes that the Paris Agreement fails the 'People’s Test on Climate' due to a lack of binding emissions targets, insufficient financial commitments for developing nations, and the absence of protections for vulnerable communities. The assessment highlights that the agreement does not mandate a phase-out of fossil fuels, lacks mentions of renewable energy or energy efficiency, and relies on unproven technologies like BECCS. Furthermore, it argues that the agreement weakens the principle of 'Common But Differentiated Responsibilities' and excludes compensation and liability for loss and damage.

• The Paris Agreement is deemed insufficient for limiting global warming to safe levels, as it only 'pursues efforts' to keep temperature rise below 1.5 degrees and lacks binding, science-based targets for developed countries. Current pledges are projected to lead to warming of at least 2.7 to over 3 degrees Celsius.
• Financial obligations for developed countries are characterized as weak and non-binding. The goal of mobilizing $100 billion annually from 2020 was moved to a 'COP decision' rather than the main agreement, and there are no guarantees regarding the level or nature of finance provided to developing countries.
• The agreement fails to provide adequate justice for impacted people by specifically excluding compensation and liability regarding 'Loss and Damage' and relegating 'Just transition' for workers to the preamble rather than the binding body of the text.
• The document notes a critical absence of mentions of renewable energy, energy efficiency, or the phase-out of fossil fuels. It warns that the goal of carbon neutrality by 2100 may encourage reliance on risky technologies like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and harmful market-based solutions.
• The principle of 'Common But Differentiated Responsibilities' (CBDR) has been weakened, shifting from countries acting 'in accordance with' these principles to their actions merely 'reflecting' them.

APA

admin (2015). Friends of the Earth International Assessment of the Paris Agreement. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/friends-of-the-earth-international-assessment-of-the-paris-agreement/

Chicago

admin. Friends of the Earth International Assessment of the Paris Agreement. Friends of the Earth International, 2015. https://www.foei.org/friends-of-the-earth-international-assessment-of-the-paris-agreement/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=admin |title=Friends of the Earth International Assessment of the Paris Agreement |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=15 December 2015 |url=https://www.foei.org/friends-of-the-earth-international-assessment-of-the-paris-agreement/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{admin2015friends, author = {admin}, title = {{Friends of the Earth International Assessment of the Paris Agreement}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2015}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/friends-of-the-earth-international-assessment-of-the-paris-agreement/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }