The Paris Climate Change Agreement : A New Stimulus for International Efforts to Promote Renewable Energy Development?

The article considers whether the Paris Climate Change Agreement strengthens the support provided by the international climate change regime for renewables, a key option for decarbonising energy supplies. It does this by comparing the position under the Agreement with that under the Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol in four areas in which international law can contribute most effectively to overcoming barriers to the global growth of renewable energy production and consumption. It finds that the Agreement does not improve significantly on the support provided by its predecessors for renewable energy. However, it does create a serviceable structure for ongoing negotiations that may lead in the future to a strengthening of support for renewables by parties as part of their strategies for cutting carbon emissions. It is also clear from several initiatives for promoting renewable energy launched at the Paris Conference of Parties that it is recognised internationally as being central to achievement of the Agreement's goals