Abstract
Evolution and effectiveness of an international climate change regime to address
impacts of global climate change demand understanding complexity of the
underlying political and economic underpinnings of the problem. This article
explores disputed subjects of Paris Climate Agreement, 2015 that largely restrain
cooperation among sovereign states from devising effective internationally
determined and legally binding commitments. Rich states are understood
historically responsible for the problem for their earlier industrialization; poor
developing states are significantly suffering from the worst negative consequences
of climate change. Similarly, climate actions in terms of mitigation demand reduced
use of fossil fuels, an economic threat to primarily fossil fuels based economies, a
compromise on the highly consumptive societies and a constrain on growing
developing economies. On the other hand, climate inaction in terms of mitigation
and adaptation poses grave repercussion to developing states, rather existential
threat to vulnerable small islands and low-lying states.
