A briefing note on COP 21 for the members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP)

The document outlines the strategic priorities of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) for the 2015 Paris climate agreement, emphasizing the need for equity, adaptation, and financial support. It details the role of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and the challenges of closing the 'ambition gap' to limit global warming to 2°C. The briefing highlights the importance of the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle and the necessity of developed countries fulfilling their 100 billion USD annual climate finance pledge by 2020.

• The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) argues that the 2015 climate agreement must reflect African realities, as climate change threatens the continent's economic development and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations.
• Current global climate ambition is insufficient; the 1,000 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent budget required to limit temperature rise to 2°C above pre-industrial levels is projected to be exhausted by 2030 based on current growth rates.
• Early analysis of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by 146 countries (representing over 87% of global emissions) suggests they would lead to a temperature increase of 2.7–3.5°C, which is considered dangerous.
• PAP emphasizes that the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle should underpin the agreement, placing greater responsibility for emission reductions on developed countries due to their historic contributions.
• Developing countries seek political parity between adaptation and mitigation, with some calling for a global adaptation goal and a dedicated compensation mechanism for 'loss and damage' that exceeds adaptive capacity.
• There is a critical need to close the financial gap, specifically regarding the 2009 pledge by developed countries to mobilize 100 billion USD per year by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation in developing nations.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2015). A briefing note on COP 21 for the members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP). https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/road-to-paris-pan-african-parliament-information-note-en.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. A briefing note on COP 21 for the members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP). 2015. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/road-to-paris-pan-african-parliament-information-note-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=A briefing note on COP 21 for the members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) |date=2015 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/road-to-paris-pan-african-parliament-information-note-en.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2015briefing, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{A briefing note on COP 21 for the members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP)}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/road-to-paris-pan-african-parliament-information-note-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }