The Paris Agreement, which was signed in 2015, is an international agreement that aims to combat climate change by limiting greenhouse gas emissions. One of the key aspects of the Paris Agreement is the requirement for each country to set a “base year.”
What is a Base Year?
A base year is the year against which a country’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions will be measured. This year serves as a reference point for tracking progress in reducing emissions. Each country must choose a base year that is prior to 2020, the year in which the Paris Agreement officially came into force.
Why is the Base Year Important?
The base year is important because it allows each country to set a starting point for their emissions reductions and to track their progress towards meeting their climate commitments. By choosing a base year, each country can establish a baseline against which they can measure their progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
For example, if a country chooses 2005 as its base year, it would set a goal to reduce its emissions by a certain percentage below the emissions it produced in 2005. This provides a clear benchmark for measuring progress towards meeting their climate commitments.
How do Countries Choose their Base Year?
Each country is allowed to choose its base year based on its own unique circumstances. The Paris Agreement does not prescribe a specific base year for each country. However, it does require that the base year be set at the earliest possible time, taking into account data availability, and that it be chosen in a transparent and consistent manner.
Some countries may choose a year that is prior to the 1990s, which is the base year used in the Kyoto Protocol, another international climate agreement. Other countries may choose a more recent year, depending on when they began to take significant action to reduce their emissions.
Conclusion
The base year is a critical component of the Paris Agreement and serves as a reference point for tracking progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Each country is allowed to choose its base year based on its own unique circumstances, allowing for a flexible and transparent approach to reducing emissions. By setting a clear benchmark for progress, the base year helps to ensure that each country is doing its part in the fight against climate change.
