The Paris Agreement is a landmark environmental agreement that aims to combat climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015, at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Paris, France. But who signed Australia up to the Paris Agreement?

Australia signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, at the United Nations in New York, along with 174 other countries. The signing was significant because Australia is one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters per capita in the world. The country is also heavily dependent on coal for its energy needs, which makes it a challenging task to meet the targets set in the Paris Agreement.

The decision to sign the Paris Agreement was made by the Australian government under the leadership of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The move was widely praised by environmental groups and the international community, who saw it as an important step towards tackling climate change.

The Paris Agreement commits countries to making Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to regularly reporting on their progress towards meeting their targets. Australia`s NDC includes a target to reduce emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030.

The signing of the Paris Agreement by Australia was not without controversy, however. Some critics argued that the country`s NDC was not ambitious enough and that more action was needed to address the impacts of climate change.

Despite these criticisms, Australia`s commitment to the Paris Agreement remains an important step towards tackling climate change. The agreement has already had a significant impact on global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and it is expected to continue to drive progress towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.

In conclusion, Australia signed up to the Paris Agreement in 2016 under the leadership of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The decision was widely praised by environmental groups and the international community, but also attracted criticism from some quarters. Nevertheless, Australia`s commitment to the agreement is an important step towards tackling climate change and building a more sustainable future.