Rules For UN Climate Change Pact May Take 2 Years To Materialize

The implementation of a 2015 global agreement to combat climate change showed that it could take up to two years to work out the details for shifting from fossil fuels. In fact, the May 16-26 talks marked a return to the technical work since the Paris Agreement was signed in December.

Laurence Tubiana told Reuters that rule changes and negotiations should not take past 2018 to be implemented. Several other delegates shared the same estimates. He also said that talks did not expose big, unexpected problems with the Paris text, which could mean an even longer haul.

The Paris Agreement says to include details on how countries could report and monitor their domestic pledges to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changes such as floods, storms, and even the issue of rising seawater levels.

Ajmad Abdulla, the chief negotiator for small island nations said that he was confident of the EU's ability to "stick with their target" regardless of the outcome of the referendum. But while the world is worried about the impact of climate change, The Washington Post noted that one of the biggest problems this year is what would happen to these efforts should Donald Trump be elected president?

The Obama Administration promised to pledge US emissions by 20-36 percent by 2025 - but if Trump - who said that the "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive" - will backtrack in its Paris Pledge, it will be insulting for the others who signed the document. While he promised to renegotiate the deal if elected, the American's other choice would be Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who is a supporter of the act.

For now, many countries believe that the Paris Agreement could enter into force this year or next, but before that, it has to be ratified formally by at least 55 nations, representing 55 percent of global emissions.