DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT A: ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC POLICY International Climate Negotiations – On the Road to Paris Issues at Stake in View of COP 21 STUDY Abstract This study presents a brief history of the climate negotiations, with a focus on the preparations for a legally binding agreement, to be finalised at the climate change conference in Paris in December 2015. The positions of the main Parties, negotiating groups and other stakeholders are highlighted, as well as the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted during 2015. The study was provided by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). IP/A/ENVI/2015-09 November 2015 PE 569.970 EN This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). AUTHORS Lorenz Moosmann, Umweltbundesamt (Austria) Katja Pazdernik, Umweltbundesamt (Austria) Andrea Prutsch, Umweltbundesamt (Austria) Klaus Radunsky, Umweltbundesamt (Austria) RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Tina Ohliger EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Eva Asplund LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN ABOUT THE EDITOR Policy departments provide in-house and external expertise to support EP committees and other parliamentary bodies in shaping legislation and exercising democratic scrutiny over EU internal policies. To contact Policy Department A or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to: Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy European Parliament B-1047 Brussels E-mail:
[email protected] Manuscript completed in November 2015 © European Union, 2015 This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.