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As countries formalize their climate action plans, some are shifting to more stringent targets, increasing transparency, and reflecting recent developments in knowledge and technology. Some countries, however, have lowered their ambition or made tweaks that make their commitment less clear.

Climate negotiations have shifted from what the Paris Agreement is to how it will be accomplished. The Bonn climate talks were the first opportunity to develop the rules and tools needed to truly put the Agreement into action.

Now that 195 countries have adopted the Paris Agreement, they must develop the rules, processes and guidelines for how it will deliver the goals it's promised. New WRI research provides a to-do list for negotiators.

Countries are at different stages of development, with different levels of capabilities. This reality must be considered when building a low-carbon and climate-resilient world.

Three key items are important for ensuring that the new climate agreement is ambitious, fair and effective.

We’re now entering the final, significant stages of negotiations leading up to the major climate summit in Paris in December known as COP21, where countries will reach a new international climate agreement. There are now two week-long negotiating sessions remaining before Paris; the first takes place next week in Bonn, Germany. What issues will negotiators face and what needs to happen at the Bonn meeting?

Negotiators at the Bonn intersessional should proceed with the seriousness and pace required to reach a new, international climate agreement at the Conference of Parties (COP 21) in December.

Country climate commitments and pledges agreed at Paris may not keep warming below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) by themselves, but by establishing a systematic mechanism to ramp up efforts over time, countries can take collective action to avoid dangerous global warming.

Getting Specific on the 2015 Climate Change Agreement: Suggestions for the Legal Text with an Explanatory Memorandum offers a detailed framework for key elements of a possible agreement, attempting to balance views and priorities from across the global community.

Why is a forthcoming global climate agreement such a big deal, and what impact will it have on communities around the world? Global director of WRI's Climate Program Jennifer Morgan explains all the important details.