Christian Nakhle

KUWAIT: The following are scripts from an interview with French Ambassador to Kuwait Christian Nakhle on the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21):

- Why is the Paris Agreement historic?

Using the word historic is not true in most cases, yet it is justified this time. History will record the Paris Climate Conference because one rarely experiences such moments when the entire audience stands to celebrate success the whole world had been anticipating for long. It is a turning point. We have started a new age of international cooperation in one of the most complicated issues facing humanity. This is the first time all countries agree on this issue while the UN has been trying to convince them to reduce emissions that cause global warming for over 20 years.

- What happens now?

The Paris agreement will be referred to the UN in New York, where members will ratify it on April 22, 2016 (World Earth Day) and it will be valid for a full year. It will be in effect once 55 countries responsible for at least 55 percent of the world emissions sign it.

Things may go faster if the world's leading emission-producing countries (US and China) approve the agreement and endorse it quickly. Signing the agreement may or may not be subject to the approval of respective countries according to their constitutional law. There is a great chance that the pact would be put into practice before 2020.

- Is Earth truly saved? Can we trust the goal of limiting temperature increase to 1.5 degrees?

The pact is a turning point, yet there is still much to do, starting with putting the agreement into practice. The aim is to pledge to limit global warming and keep it below two degrees centigrade and follow up the efforts exerted to stop temperature increase at 1.5 degrees. The Paris agreement includes factors that we have though impossible to achieve. It does not solve all problems but sets solid foundations to work on it.

The 1.5 degree goal is ambitious yet central and vital for many countries, especially island countries and less-developed ones, which would face catastrophic consequences if the temperature increases to two degrees centigrade. A team of government climate changes experts called for preparing a special report in 2018 on how to achieve that goal. It is necessary when working on climate to set clear ambitious goals even if they were hard to achieve at the time being. For instance, during the COP20 in Lima in 2014, when we unanimously decided to invite countries to set national contributions to limit global warming, few expected the call to succeed. Nevertheless, 186 out of 195 countries made their contributions - that is more than 96 percent of greenhouse gas emissions!

- How developing countries will be helped?

Funds are the keys of trust in the field of combating international climate change. Work will go on in successive phases. The text includes a new financial target by a maximum of 2025. Advanced countries' responsibility to financially and technologically support developing countries is clearly defined. The agreement also encourages other countries to voluntarily contribute.

$100 billion must be allocated in the form of loans and grants by the beginning of 2020 to fund projects that would enable countries adapt to climate changes (seawater level rise, droughts, etc) and reduce global warming-causing emissions. Those funds will be increased as defined in the agreement. Some developing countries can voluntarily become donators to poorer countries. It is expected to hold the first meeting mentioned in the agreement by 2025 to set new target figures to help poorer countries.

- What can Kuwait do to contribute to realizing this agreement?

Right after the Paris Summit concluded, Kuwait expressed its wish to limit carbon emissions. Accordingly, many promising projects were launched such as the Shaqaya project, which had been previously launched by KISR to develop using renewable energy in Kuwait. A 2,000 megawatt renewable energy plant will be built in the western desert to cover 15 percent of Kuwait's needs of energy. The Shaqaya project will reduce extremely harmful fuel combustions and thus reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tons.