Originally published: April 2016 on TED.com · Recorded at TED2016, Vancouver (February 2016)
How the World Reached the Paris Agreement
When Christiana Figueres became the UN's top climate official after the failed 2009 Copenhagen summit, few people believed a global climate deal was possible. In this TED2016 talk, she tells how she turned her own scepticism into determined optimism and helped 195 countries adopt the Paris Agreement in December 2015.
Key Takeaways
- "Impossible" is an attitude, not a fact: persistence and collaboration can change what seems achievable.
- The agreement worked by letting each country set its own national climate plan, then strengthening ambition over time.
- Business, investors, cities and civil society were essential to building momentum.
Why It Matters for ESG and Sustainability Management
The Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to well below 2°C, and pursuing 1.5°C, underpins today's net-zero targets, science-based targets, carbon pricing and climate disclosure rules such as IFRS S2. Read GreenCo's guide to decarbonisation roadmaps and science-based targets.
Turn Inspiration into Action with GreenCo
GreenCo is an ESG and climate risk advisory firm in Singapore and Hong Kong, trusted since 2016 by public and private companies and multinational companies. We have supported more than 80 listed companies with all-round ESG advisory under one roof, from strategy, materiality and sustainability reporting to GHG accounting, climate scenario analysis, ESG ratings and assurance. We can build your ESG framework from scratch, and our consultants stay actively involved throughout the whole project.
We use AI and digital tools to work faster, but AI is a tool, not the advice. The real value comes from our consultants' professional judgement: understanding your business, interpreting the rules, challenging the numbers and making sure every disclosure stands up to scrutiny.
Our Values
- Integrity – credible, decision-useful disclosures, prevent greenwashing.
- Partnership – hands-on involvement from day one to end of project.
- Tailored expertise – solutions built around your business.
- Knowledge sharing – making ESG regulations clear and accessible for everyone.
- Innovation – using technology to make sustainability work more efficient.
Our Team's Professional Credentials
- Fellow Certified Public Accountant (FCPA)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) – CFA Institute
- Financial Risk Manager (FRM) – Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)
- Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA)
- Sustainable Investing Certificate – CFA Institute
- GRI Certified Professional
- Practitioner Member – Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP)
- GRI Certified Sustainability Professional – Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)