What they had adopted was not a treaty but rather a compact to take actions that were intended to prevent temperatures from rising to two degrees centigrade above preindustrial levels in this century—and, it was hoped, no more than one and a half degrees. It was up to each country to come up with its own “nationally determined contribution”—what became known as NDCs—based upon its particular situation, laws, regulations, volition, and mood. These NDCs would not be binding, but rather voluntary. “Nonbinding” was crucial for Barack Obama, for a treaty would have to be submitted to the U.S.
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