1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The 1.5 degree Celsius limit is a significantly safer defense line against the worst impacts of a changing climate. Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability to deal with the impacts of climate change.119 The Paris Agreement is a show of international cooperation, and it “sent a powerful signal to global markets, hastening the transition away from fossil fuels and to a clean energy economy.”120 The Paris Agreement is the first environmental treaty to explicitly acknowledge that parties should respect and promote human rights in addressing climate change.121 The reference to human rights is found in the preamble: Acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the right to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity[.]122 The human rights reference does not impose a “jurisdictional limit” to respect, promote, and consider respective obligations on human rights. Also, the preamble notes the importance of the concept of “climate justice” in taking action to address climate change.123 While the preamble is not part of the agreement’s operative provisions, the preambular language should guide the interpretation of those provisions124 and lends support to national climate efforts, such as this Petition. The Petitioners recognize the leading role of the Philippine delegation, skilfully led by !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 119 UNFCCC, Press Release, Historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change 195 Nations Set Path to Keep Temperature Rise Well Below 2 Degrees Celsius, Dec. 12, 2015, http://newsroom.unfccc.int/unfcccnewsroom/finale-cop21/ (last accessed on Apr. 19, 2016). 120 S. Goldenberg, J. Vidal, L. Taylor, A. Vaughan, and F. Harvey, Paris Climate Deal: Nearly 200 Nations Sign in End of Fossil Fuel Era, Guardian, Dec. 12, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/12/parisclimate-deal-200-nations-sign-finish-fossil-fuel-era (last accessed Apr. 19, 2016). 121 Press Release, CIEL, A Powerful Signal but a Weak Agreement in Paris: Global Movement for Climate Action Must Accelerate, Dec. 12, 2015, http://www.ciel.org/news/a-powerful-signal-but-a-weak-agreement-in-paris-global-movement-for-climate-actionmust-accelerate/ (last accessed on Apr. 20, 2016). 122 Adoption of the Paris Agreement, FCCC/CP/2015/L.9/Rev.1, Dec. 12, 2015, preamble, https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09r01.pdf (last accessed on Apr. 19, 2016). 123 Id. 124 C. Schwarte, Legal Response Initiative, Preliminary Legal Assessment of the Paris Agreement, Dec. 14, 2015, http://legalresponseinitiative.org/preliminary-legal-assessment-of-the-paris-agreement/ (last accessed on Apr. 19, 2016). ! 38! ! ! ! ! !