Question

The highly influential international treaty known as the "Paris Agreement," adopted globally at the COP21 summit, is primarily directed toward which of the following objectives?

• A. Regulation of cross-border cyber warfare and data privacy
• B. Mitigation of global climate change and greenhouse gas emissions
• C. Non-proliferation of nuclear weaponry and chemical warheads
• D. Maritime trade dispute resolutions and territorial water definitions

Hint:

Associate major environmental agreements with their primary focus areas: - Kyoto Protocol (1997): Introduced legally binding emission reduction targets for developed countries. - Paris Agreement (2015): Set global temperature targets below $2^\circ\text{C}$ ($1.5^\circ\text{C}$) driven by individual nation NDCs.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: International environmental treaties establish legally binding frameworks to coordinate global climate action. These treaties balance state sovereignty with collective obligations by implementing monitoring mechanisms and sustainable financing goals.

Step-by-step Explanation:

• Adoption and Origin: The Paris Agreement is a landmark international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on December 12, 2015, and entered into force on November 4, 2016.

• Primary Objective: The core mandate of the agreement is to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the increase in global surface temperature.

• Temperature Targets: The treaty sets a specific temperature threshold: $$\Delta T \lt 2.0^\circ\text{C} \quad \text{(with a preferential target of } \Delta T \le 1.5^\circ\text{C}\text{)}$$ This represents the goal to keep the increase in global average temperature well below $2^\circ\text{C}$ above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing active efforts to limit the temperature increase to $1.5^\circ\text{C}$.

• Operational Framework: To achieve these long-term temperature targets, countries submit their customized climate action plans, known as

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which outline their domestic emission reduction targets and adaptation strategies.

Analysis of Alternative Options:

• Option (A) - Cyber warfare and data privacy: These issues are governed by separate frameworks, such as the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and regional regulations like the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

• Option (C) - Nuclear non-proliferation: This is managed under international security frameworks like the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

• Option (D) - Maritime trade and territorial waters: These boundaries and jurisdictions are defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).