This Lords Library briefing examines the recent global climate change agreement reached in Paris.
Paris Climate Change Conference 2015 (82 KB , PDF)
On 12 December 2015, a global climate deal was agreed by 195 countries at the United Nations climate change conference held in Paris. Known as the ‘Paris Agreement’, the deal aims to limit the long-term rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and also contained an aspiration to further limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In order to achieve these long-term temperature goals, the Paris Agreement calls on countries to “reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible”, and to achieve a balance between the amount of carbon emitted by human activity and what can be absorbed by the environment between 2050 and 2100.
Paris Climate Change Conference 2015 (82 KB , PDF)
Farmers can help flood prevention. In England, farmers can receive payments for carrying out farming activities that support flood preparedness. The government also provides financial support to farmers impacted by severe flooding. A new Flood Resilience Taskforce has been launched to coordinate flooding preparation, as well as a Rural Flood Resilience Partnership to help farmers and rural communities build resilience to future flooding.
The Water (Special Measures) Bill [HL] is a government bill that would give regulators new powers to regulate the way private water companies operate in England and Wales. This includes the introduction of new penalties for water companies and the power to block executive bonuses. The bill would also make changes to the special administration regime for water companies to ensure the government and regulators were notified ahead of any winding up petitions.
![Water (Special Measures) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 17 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Business-VIGs-568x426.jpg)
Ahead of a debate in the House of Lords on the report of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee on electrical vehicles (EVs), this briefing summarises the recommendations of the report, the response to the report by the previous Conservative government, and the EVs policy of the current Labour government.
