Alexa Carlson


The Paris Agreement in the Middle East and North Africa

Understand the efficacy of climate change agreements is critical because without international action earth’s natural systems and the environment will severely degrade. Climate change is primarily driven by anthropogenic natural gas emissions that trap heat in the atmosphere. Without effective mitigation of emissions, countries around the world will face the threat of water and food insecurity. The purpose of my research is to fill a gap in existing research about how the Paris Agreement impacts the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in order to determine its efficacy. The region is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, but it also derives the majority of its income from oil and natural gas that contribute to global warming. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep warming below 2 degrees celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. The efficacy of the agreement in the region is shown by assessing if the nationally determined contributions and current progress meets the stated goal. After determining the effectiveness, my research explores the possible causes of limited effectiveness. The preliminary results of my research indicate that the current climate change agreement will not result in successful mitigation. Climate change agreements will need to incorporate stronger enforcement measures and incentives, if they are to meet the stated goal.

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