Written by Marcin Grajewski,

After more than 20 years of negotiations, nearly 200 countries reached a landmark agreement in December 2015 on tackling climate change and its impacts. The European Union, with its ambitious climate policy, had been a strong advocate on a deal to cut emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

The Paris agreement, conducted under the auspices of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, envisages a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to “well below” 2°C above pre-industrial levels, pursuing efforts to limit the rise to 1.5°C. This would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change. Many analysts have hailed the agreement as historic, but critics say it came too late and is too limited in scope.

This note brings together commentaries, analyses and studies by major international think tanks and research institutes published in reaction to the Paris agreement.

Paris 2015: Just a first step

Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, February 2016

COP21 and the Paris Agreement: A diplomacy masterclass in search of greater climate ambition

Fundación Real Instituto Elcano, February 2016

Beyond Paris: Avoiding the trap of carbon metrics

Heinrich Böll Stiftung, February 2016

What role for carbon markets in the 2015 climate agreement?

Center for Climate for Energy Solutions, February 2016

The Paris Agreement: Analysis, assessment and outlook

Ecologic Institute, February 2016

The Paris Agreement: A framework for local inclusion

International Institute for Environment and Development, February 2016

Reviewing implementation under the Paris Agreement

Stockholm Environment Institute, February 2016

Beyond the targets: Assessing the political credibility of pledges for the Paris Agreement

Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and Environment, February 2016

Carbon market provisions in the Paris Agreement

Centre for European Policy Studies, January 2016

COP21: Haro sur le charbon

Institut français des relations internationales, January 2016

When the champagne is finished: Why the post-Paris parade of climate euphoria is largely premature

Brookings Institution, January 2016

The business case for climate protection after COP 21

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, January 2016

After COP21: What needs to happen for the Paris Agreement to take effect?

World Resources Institute, January 2016

Finance for climate resilience in the dawn of the Paris era

Center for American Progress, January 2016

Changements climatiques: Les enjeux de la COP 21

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, December 2015

Threats to the Paris accord

Friends of Europe, The Centre for Progressive Policy Research, December 2015

COP 21 and the Paris Agreement: The force reawakened

Heinrich Böll Stiftung, December 2015

Too early to celebrate: What markets tell us about the credibility of the Paris climate agreement

Bruegel, December 2015

A historic agreement in Paris

International Institute for Environment and Development, December 2015

Essential elements of a Paris Climate Agreement

Centre for Climate for Energy Solutions, December 2015

Takeaways from COP21

Carnegie Europe, December 2015

The Paris Agreement: Kick-Off for true global climate cooperation

Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, December 2015

COP21: Wins and losses for the Least Developed Countries

Danish Institute for International Studies, December 2015

Beyond the Paris agreement: COP21 shouldn’t be a milestone, but rather a launching pad for a new phase of climate action

Brookings Institution, December 2015

Paris climate agreement at a glance

Friends of Europe, December 2015

Paris Agreement: A good foundation for meaningful progress

Resources for the Future, December 2015.