• Nations committed to hold temperature rise to "well below 2C and endeavor to reach 1.5C." Almost all countries - 187 so far - have set non-binding emissions reduction targets (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions in the official jargon) that will take effect in 2020. More importantly, every five years, countries will review progress and - ideally - increase their targets, starting in 2018. The long-term ambition is to reach net-zero emissions sometime between 2050 and 2100.
• Recognizes loss and damage from the impacts of climate change, but crucial to the U.S., does not hold developed countries liable.
• Emphasizes the role of forest protection and recognizes REDD+, which provides developing countries money to keep their forests standing.
• Developed countries reaffirmed their pledge to provide developing countries $100 billion annually by 2020 through 2025 to help them address climate change. (Guardian, C2ES)

Photo: Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

Credit: Simone Golob/Corbis

• The Economist says the deal creates "an unprecedented political recognition of the risks of climate change." Perhaps its most significant effect will be to send a signal to investors and businesses that the age of fossil fuels is over.
• Climate change deal: five reasons to be glad, five to be gloomy
• NPR finds out what leading climate scientists think about the climate deal, while UK scientists get more technical with the Guardian.
• Paris is just the beginning: From activists to business leaders, every section of civil society says there is much more work to be done, including on climate adaptation. 

• French diplomacy, cross-ocean telephone calls, good negotiating strategies, and "should" versus "shall": world leaders learned from the mistakes atCopenhagen in 2009 to make the Paris deal happen.  (Reuters)

  Photo: Francois Mori/AP

• The U.S. strategy: The U.S. needed a very particular kind of climate deal that did not require Congressional approval. (Guardian)
• China-U.S. relationship key to deal: The Obama administration was able to capitalize on China's recognition that multilateral climate action was not a hindrance but an opportunity to showcase itself as a progressive superpower - while doing things it needs to do anyway to maintain stability. (LA Times)
• The world's greatest diplomatic success: Even as delegates celebrated, there was a palpable sense of relief from the exhausted French hosts. At many points in this fortnight of marathon negotiating sessions, it looked as if a deal might be beyond reach. That it ended in success was a tribute in part to their diligence and efficiency and the efforts of the UN. (Guardian)

• Photo: USAID Ken

  India, France, and some 120 countries launched an International Solar Alliance supporting solar energy deployment in developing countries.
• US doubles adaptation aid to low-lying and vulnerable countries to $860 million.
• Michael Bloomberg will head a new global taskforce to provide more information about companies' financial risks to climate change to investors, insurers, banks, and consumers.
• Major investor coalition will push stock exchange's biggest companies to switch to 100% renewable electricity. Some 50 companies have joined, including BMW, Coca-Cola, Google, Nike, Starbucks, and Microsoft.
• Coca-Cola, Kellogg, Sony, and 100 other companies have set or are committed to setting carbon emissions targets through the United Nations' sustainable business group.
• The US and 19 other countries have pledged to double funds for clean energy research to a total of $20 billion over five years, while business leaders such as Bill Gates have pledged to help bring clean tech to market.
• Norway, Germany, and the UK pledge $5 billion for REDD+ to protect forests
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya and 7 other Africa nations will restore 100 million hectares (247 million acres) of forest by 2030. The countries have already committed $1 billion dollars to the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), which will also be supported by $540 million in private investment. 

The Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative is a membership based collaborative network designed to promote greater climate change resilience planning coordination in the six-county Sacramento Region. The purpose of this collaborative network is to create a forum where leaders from government, academia, environmental and community groups, the business community, and labor can come together to exchange information, identify vulnerabilities and data gaps, leverage resources, and advance comprehensive solutions in an effort to create stronger, sustainable, and economically viable communities in the Sacramento Region.  If you are interested in learning more about the Climate Readiness Collaborative, joining the Collaborative, or being added to the list serve, visit: www.climatereadiness.info/