To mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the COP30 inauguration, which is taking place from November 10 to 21, 2025, in Belém, the city of Paris has organized several events, including the exhibition "From Paris to Belém: 10 Years of Global Climate Action".
In 2015, the adoption of the Paris Agreement during the COP21 marked a decisive turning point in global climate commitment. The exhibition highlights the significant efforts that have been deployed, with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
However, these efforts are currently insufficient, and the situation requires greater commitment. As António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, rightly stated, "the climate time-bomb is ticking," and it is urgent that every organization and individual actively engages in climate change mitigation. The exhibition also aims to reiterate the climate urgency and emphasize the need to continue and intensify these actions.
This article synthesizes the key messages and important lessons to be learned from this exhibition.
Exactly 10 years ago, Le Bourget, in Seine-Saint-Denis, hosted the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) from November 29 to December 11, 2015.
As a reminder, the Conference of the Parties has taken place every year since the signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. On this occasion, the 195 signatory States meet to establish common objectives and concrete commitments to combat climate change and its effects.
The event brings together representatives of States as well as NGOs, local authorities, trade unions, businesses, and scientific communities, whose participation in the debates is crucial for decision-making and the implementation of new commitments. The outcome of COP21 was sealed by the signing of a historic agreement: The Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It entered into force on November 4, 2016, and this 29-article agreement committed all signatory Nations to a trajectory of overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Every five years, each country must submit a revised national action plan called a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), allowing for the assessment of progress made, the pursuit of increasing climate ambitions, while strengthening resilience.
This major moment of mobilization initiated a momentum that still endures 10 years later.
From the rise of urban environmental awareness to the age of concrete commitments and the first city climate plans, this exhibition traces the milestones of sustainable urban development, emphasizing major achievements and the importance of future initiatives.
Key dates emerge, such as 1973 with the start of energy sobriety policies and the restriction of polluting vehicles in certain city centers to improve air quality. In 1995, the first international climate negotiations were inaugurated with the launch of COP1 in Berlin. Two years later, the Kyoto Protocol, the first binding agreement, was adopted at COP3.
From 2000 to 2010, numerous initiatives were launched by several major capitals. It was during this period that Paris, Mexico, and Madrid inaugurated their first car-free days. Simultaneously, New York adopted the PlanNYC for urban resilience, including the construction of anti-flood barriers. Meanwhile, Berlin and Hamburg announced XXL (extensive) cycle networks, while Rotterdam built its first floating anti-flood park.
The years that followed were marked by contrasts, combining major transformations and climate tensions. Progress such as the phasing out of fossil fuels and the expansion of local food policies was tempered by significant legal battles: in 2022, the French State was found guilty for failing to meet its climate commitments, followed in 2024 by Switzerland, which was condemned by the European Court of Human Rights for insufficient climate action.
The year 2025 offers encouraging perspectives with the achievement of carbon neutrality by several European cities, including Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Helsinki, thanks to a complete energy transition with 100% renewable electricity and carbon-neutral public transport.
Over the past ten years, cities around the world have mobilized, implementing innovative actions to combat the effects of climate change.
Thus, 34 cities worldwide are showcased through the presentation of diverse projects, among which we have selected three:
The Autonomous District of Abidjan in the Ivory Coast
The Banco Bay is currently being redeveloped to become an ecological, airy park providing access to the Banco National Park, one of the only two primary dense tropical forests in the world to be located in the heart of an urban area. This project contributes to making the Autonomous District of Abidjan a sustainable center of attraction, combining environmental preservation, development of economic opportunities for local actors, job creation, and improvement of the living environment.
Inaugurated in 2013, Metrobus 9 has improved urban mobility and sustainability, with a reduction in travel times of approximately 50%. Today, the network includes 12 lines and helps avoid the emission of more than 70,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
For the past 10 years, Paris has undergone a major transformation by reducing road traffic, notably through the pedestrianization of numerous streets and the conversion of the Seine river banks to car-free areas, and a significant increase in greenery, with 170,000 trees to be planted by 2026. These initiatives have had a dual positive effect: they have helped reduce the city's temperature and significantly improve air quality, with a 45% reduction in pollution compared to 2015.
As the climate crisis intensifies, with 2024 marking the first time the 1.5°C threshold was exceeded, the 30th Conference of the Parties is highly anticipated. Its mission will be to assess the progress of the past decade and define the roadmap for the years to come.
To achieve this, COP30 has established the following priorities:
Ten years after the Paris Agreement, the exhibition "From Paris to Belém" is a powerful reminder of how essential international mobilization remains in the face of the climate emergency. While notable progress has been made and achievements are real, they are not enough to curb the pace of climate change. As COP30 opens in Belém, a strong symbol of a return to the planet's roots, the challenge is now clear: moving from commitments to action, so that the next decade becomes one of climate justice and the preservation of life.
ClimateSeed is a impact-driven company that supports organizations in defining and implementing their climate strategy, including the measurement and reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions, as well as actions beyond their value chain through climate contributions. By supporting projects with strong social and environmental impacts around the world, ClimateSeed contributes to the transition toward a low-carbon and inclusive economy, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
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Sources:
Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères. (s. d.). La conférence de Paris ou COP21. France Diplomatie.
Nations Unies. (s. d.). Accord de Paris.
https://www.un.org/fr/climatechange/paris-agreement
Toute l'Europe.eu. (2024, 18 mars). COP30 : dates, participants, enjeux… Ce qu’il faut savoir sur la conférence de Belém.