La Ventunesima Conferenza delle Parti: un caso di studio. Un’analisi delle negoziazioni internazionali attraverso il ruolo dei principali attori e della loro leadership climatica.

Abstract

This academic essay represents a case study of the 2015 Paris climate Conference. Through the analysis of the international climate negotiations leading to the adoption of a new inclusive and legally binding agreement, the aim is to establish how the actors exerted their leadership and based on their expected results, what goals they achieved. The investigation begins after a brief review of the past and most important climate Conferences held under the UNFCCC forum by examining the changes in the global context and the role of the major players in Paris, paying particular attention to their interests, positions and to the existing differences between developed and developing countries. Bargaining and problem solving are used as two different ways to explain the negotiation process, that is also examined through the study of the constraints and obstacles encountered, due to the intricacy of the issue and to the high number of actors involved. Furthermore, it provides the dynamics that occur nationally and internationally, and it demonstrates that political will and diplomatic skills are necessary elements in a multipolar environment. Finally, with a focus on leadership relations, the major outcomes of the negotiations and the main features of the agreement are outlined.