From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

“… the era of cooperation on climate change is over …” – no shows include the USA, EU, India, China and Russia.

Only 15 countries have met the latest Paris agreement deadline. Is any nation serious about tackling climate change?

Published: March 20, 2025 1.08am AEDT
Doug Specht
Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, University of Westminster

The latest deadline for countries to submit plans for slashing the greenhouse gas emissions fuelling climate change has passed. Only 15 countries met it – less than 8% of the 194 parties currently signed up to the Paris agreement, which obliges countries to submit new proposals for eliminating emissions every five years.

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Who didn’t submit?

Some of the world’s largest emitters failed to submit new NDCs, including China, India and Russia.

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The European Union could have positioned itself as a leader of global climate action, in lieu of US involvement. But the EU, which submits NDCs as a bloc alongside individual country submissions, also failed to submit on time.

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The failure of most nations to submit new emission plans suggests that the era of cooperation on climate change is over. …

…Read more: https://theconversation.com/only-15-countries-have-met-the-latest-paris-agreement-deadline-is-any-nation-serious-about-tackling-climate-change-250847

Obviously the EU at least will probably submit something, it would be hideously embarrassing for the self proclaimed climate leaders of the world to ignore their climate commitments. Don’t mention the Russian gas pipeline.

And so far China seems to have a pass to do whatever they want, providing they meet European politicians and say nice things to them. Russia will probably play along, there aren’t too many international conferences where Russians are still welcome.

India is the wild card. Will they take this opportunity to formally renounce membership of the Paris Agreement? They might – if President Trump offers them a good deal on tariffs.

If just one other major emitter openly joins the USA in renouncing Paris, it’s all over for the international climate movement. All that bulldozed COP30 Amazonian rainforest will be for nothing.