UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) & Paris Agreement 2016 — MCQs

All questions with answers and explanations

Read the full set here, or use the practice card above to test yourself one question at a time.

1. The Paris Agreement was adopted at which Conference of the Parties, and when?

   • COP3, Kyoto, 1997
   • COP21, Paris, 12 December 2015 (correct answer)
   • COP13, Gandhinagar, 2020
   • COP28, Dubai, 2023

   Explanation. The Paris Agreement was adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015 at COP21 in Paris.

2. The Paris Agreement's core structural departure from the Kyoto Protocol is its use of:

   • Even stricter top-down targets for Annex I countries only
   • Bottom-up, self-set 'Nationally Determined Contributions' (NDCs) from every party (correct answer)
   • Abolishing all climate targets entirely
   • Applying targets only to non-Annex I countries

   Explanation. Paris replaced Kyoto's top-down Annex I-only targets with universal, self-determined NDCs from every party.

3. The Paris Agreement's temperature goal is to hold the global average temperature increase to:

   • Well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C (correct answer)
   • Exactly 5°C above pre-industrial levels
   • No specific temperature goal was set
   • Below 10°C above pre-industrial levels

   Explanation. The Agreement aims to hold warming well below 2°C, with efforts to pursue 1.5°C.

4. Under the Paris Agreement, which of these is legally binding?

   • The specific numerical content of each country's NDC
   • The procedural obligation to submit and periodically strengthen an NDC and report progress transparently (correct answer)
   • A guarantee that every country will meet its stated target
   • Nothing at all is binding under Paris

   Explanation. Procedural obligations (submitting/updating NDCs, transparency reporting) are binding, but the substantive NDC content itself is not internationally binding.

5. When did India ratify the Paris Agreement?

   • 22 April 2016
   • 2 October 2016 (correct answer)
   • 4 November 2016
   • 12 December 2015

   Explanation. India signed on 22 April 2016 and ratified on 2 October 2016.

6. The Paris Agreement came into force once at least 55 countries with at least 55 per cent of emissions had ratified it. This happened on:

   • 12 December 2015
   • 4 November 2016 (correct answer)
   • 2 October 2016
   • 1 January 2020

   Explanation. The Agreement was adopted at COP21 on 12 December 2015 and came into force on 4 November 2016.