From Paris to Iowa: Local impact of an historic climate agreement

I recently returned home to Iowa from Paris, where I attended the climate conference. What emerged from this historic gathering is a renewed sense of hope for the future, as well as a sense of our responsibilities to people and planet.

After decades of debate, the battle over the reality of climate change is over. Countries from every region of the world and every stage of development committed to act during this conference because they recognize that it is in their self-interest and in humanity's common interest. The commitment to act by countries including Brazil, China, India, and the United States is a clear sign countries are no longer focused on whether they should act, but how.

This conference will be remembered as a turning point in the fight against climate change and in our efforts to create a more peaceful, prosperous planet for all people. The new agreement creates a strong framework to launch an era of unprecedented climate action - one which Iowa residents should move with urgency to support.

Seeing through the commitments will require continued ambitious action from governments, the private sector, and all of us, from Paris to Iowa, to limit the global rise in temperature and move more rapidly toward a clean energy future with net zero emissions.

Importantly, the conference in Paris went beyond national governments to welcome the engagement of civil society, the private sector, financial institutions, cities and states such as our own home. More and more business leaders and investors also recognized - as they must - not just the obligation to act, but also the economic opportunities in the growing clean energy economy.

We should also recognize the role of a key U.S. partner, the United Nations. As the convener of the conference in Paris, the UN has made one of its principle goals to stop the worst effects of climate change. The UN is uniquely situated in this effort; as the meeting place for 193 countries, the UN has the scope and vision to tackle a truly global problem such as climate change. I am a proud board member of the Iowa chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA, an organization which supports the UN as it finds bold solutions to the world's biggest problems.

Our collective task is immense, but so is the opportunity to usher in a new era of sustainable development. Together, as residents of Iowa, we support this new climate agreement to stop the worst effects of climate change and create a more peaceful, prosperous future.

' Andrea Cohen is a board member of the Iowa United Nations Association and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Iowa specializing in Human Rights Education. Comments: whererightsbegin@gmail.com