Paris climate talks begin

November 30th, 2015 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

While the talks haven't yet finished and the outcomes are necessarily unknown, the international climate discussions scheduled to take place in Paris starting Nov. 29 have the chance to make a major impact on environmental regulations, strategy and policy. The talks between the U.S. and China - two of the world's largest and most industrially developed countries - as well as many other nations, could set the tone for environmental actions for years to come. The regulatory changes will likely occur in the long term, but their genesis will occur over just a few days. Businesses in general and compliance staff in particular must pay attention to these talks to understand how policy will develop and pay special attention to any statements that could impact their specific industries.

A sense of urgency
The talks were originally scheduled to begin Nov. 30, but were pushed up in the wake of a UN report that projects 2015 will be the hottest year on record, according to AFP. Considering the event includes about 150 national leaders, the rescheduling is not insignificant. The UN wants heads of state and their negotiators to use the extra time to reach mutually acceptable conclusions on the various issues presented during the course of the summit, maximizing its effectiveness.

The ultimate goal of the summit is to cap global warming at approximately 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-Industrial Revolution levels, AFP reported. The exact steps needed to reach this goal are still undetermined, and the gathering in Paris is a chance to hammer out those details. With an end date of Dec. 11, the many nations involved must negotiate and reach compromises to make the conference a success.

US optimistic
The Guardian reported U.S. officials are optimistic about the upcoming conference and believe past issues during other negotiations that stalled will encourage many participants to work toward a mutual goal instead of fighting or stalling. President Obama will arrive Nov. 29 in an effort to meet with leaders of other major countries and develop some early positive momentum. While it's hard to ascertain the feelings of the leaders of so many nations, the approach taken by U.S. leaders may indicate a generally higher level of cooperation than past climate change talks. While the resolution isn't yet assured, there's little doubt the climate talks will have a major impact on future environmental regulations.