Delegates from 196 nations agreed on a global pact to combat climate change in Paris on Saturday, setting a string of obligations from 2020.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described it as a “historic text”.

Long, thunderous applause and a standing ovation from hundreds of delegates involved in the past two weeks of round-the-clock negotiations welcomed the agreement.

The Paris Agreement sets an overall objective of “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”.

The world must achieve a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases added to and removed from the atmosphere “in the second half of this century”, which effectively means a massive global switch away from fossil fuels.

Scientists say this will require much stricter cuts to greenhouse gas emissions than those already pledged by 187 countries. These include Ireland, which is currently off track to meet existing commitments, with one third of all Irish emissions coming from the growing agricultural sector.

Action against climate change must be taken “in a manner that does not threaten food production,” which could help Ireland argue its case through the process outlined for the coming years to set detailed rules on how countries pledge emission cuts and report on them.

A reference to forests was added to the text at the last minute, next to a mention of “greenhouse gas reservoirs and sink” that can be interpreted to include agriculture. This opens the door for Ireland to claim benefits from improvements to its forest cover and carbon storage in its agricultural soils in the next steps of negotiations.

“Beyond climate issues themselves, this agreement will serve the great causes of food security and production, public health, poverty eradication, basic rights and, ultimately, peace,” said French foreign affairs minister Laurent Fabius, who chaired the climate summit.

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