Support Our Work
Your support—even just $5—will help the BlueGreen Alliance continue this critical work creating quality jobs in the United States.Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement present a massive opportunity for the United States to lead the world in driving the significant economic growth and job creation that comes from designing, manufacturing, and installing the clean energy technologies and infrastructure required to reduce the pollution that is driving climate change.
The Challenge
The fight against climate change cannot be won by one country working alone. It will take careful and sincere collaboration on the global stage to meet the emissions reductions needed to avoid the worst impact of climate change. As a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United States has historically played a central role in efforts to reach agreement on the international stage.
Understandably, bringing nearly all the nations of the world together in agreement is a difficult task. Each nation rightfully advocates for the interests of its population and those interests can at times be in conflict. The goal of the UNFCCC is to seek solutions to the climate crisis that will minimize the harm of climate change and are in line with nations’ fair share.
The Opportunity
In 2015, the UNFCCC made history with the passage of the Paris Agreement, the first time that nearly all the nations of the world signed onto a binding agreement to fight climate change. In the agreement, the signatories set a goal to limit global temperature rise to “well below 2 degrees Celsius”—with an aim to keep temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The agreement requires nations to submit regularly updated plans for climate action, termed “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDCs).
The BlueGreen Alliance supports the Paris Agreement and believes that meeting the goals of the agreement present a massive opportunity for the United States to lead the world in driving the significant economic growth and job creation that comes from designing, manufacturing, and installing the clean energy technologies and infrastructure required to reduce the pollution that is driving climate change.
While the United States was temporarily withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, as of 2021, it is again a party to the agreement. In its NDC, the United States has pledged to achieve a 50-52% reduction in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030.
In the years following the Paris Agreement’s entry into force, additional complimentary agreements have been struck. For example, the Silesia Declaration is an agreement on a Just Transition for workers and the creation of decent work and quality jobs and the Kigali Amendment phases down production of hydrofluorocarbons—powerful climate pollutants and is expected to avoid up to 0.5℃ of warming by 2100.
Key Facts
1.5 Degrees Celsius The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. (Source)
50-52% The United States’ NDC sets a goal of reducing national emissions by 50-52% 2005 levels by 2030. (Source)
195 Parties The Paris Agreement has been adopted by 195 members of the UNFCCC. (Source)
