On November 4, 2020—the day after the U.S. presidential election—the United States formally withdrew from the global climate agreement known as the Paris Accord, becoming the only nation to step away from the pact at that time. President-elect Joe Biden pledged to rejoin the agreement upon taking office, and the United States officially reentered the accord in early 2021, signaling a renewed commitment to international cooperation on climate change.
The 195 nations that negotiated the nonbinding agreement committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow global climate change. As one of the most complex multiparty negotiations in modern history, the Paris Accord stands out not only for its global stakes but also for the careful planning that helped bring order to an otherwise unwieldy diplomatic challenge.
Looking back at the talks held in late 2015 outside Paris offers valuable lessons on how preparation, process, and diplomacy can help large-scale negotiations succeed.
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Attention to Detail
Among the strongest examples of diplomacy during the negotiations was the work of lead planner Laurence Tubiana. In the 18 months leading up to the summit, Tubiana traveled extensively, building support among diplomats, academics, and policymakers worldwide.
French embassies hosted regular dinners and discussions for business leaders, lawmakers, and journalists to foster urgency and optimism about the possibility of a meaningful climate agreement. The strategy aimed to build momentum long before delegates arrived in Paris.
Tubiana’s attention extended beyond diplomacy to the environment in which negotiations would occur. Workspaces in the airplane hangars and temporary structures hosting the talks were softened with thoughtful touches, including table lamps and comfortable meeting spaces. Delegates had access to freshly baked bread and meals that showcased French hospitality, while rest and meditation areas offered negotiators opportunities to decompress between marathon sessions.
These seemingly small details helped ease tensions and promote a collegial atmosphere during long, difficult negotiations.
Brokers, not Advocates
The responsibility for guiding one of the largest negotiations in history fell to the conference cochairs: Daniel Reifsnyder of the U.S. Department of State, representing developed nations, and Algerian ambassador Ahmed Djoghlaf, representing developing countries.
Having worked together in earlier climate talks, the two men shared mutual trust and complementary negotiation skills. Reifsnyder was known for his deep technical knowledge, while Djoghlaf was widely respected for his diplomatic finesse and ability to build consensus.
Importantly, both cochairs saw their role as honest brokers rather than advocates for particular sides. Their cooperative leadership helped maintain trust across negotiating blocs with very different priorities.
Getting on the Same Page
Nearly a year before the Paris summit, Reifsnyder and Djoghlaf convened climate delegates in Geneva to begin drafting what would become the negotiating text.
In an effort to build trust and encourage participation, delegates were invited to include any proposals they wished. The resulting document ballooned in size, but the process helped participants feel heard and invested in shaping the final agreement.
Subsequent meetings focused on trimming the draft. Although progress in cutting language was slow, trust in the cochairs grew, allowing them to take on more responsibility for refining the text themselves.
By October 2015, a streamlined 20-page draft emerged, widely praised for focusing attention on key issues. By the time negotiations opened in Paris, nearly every participating country had already submitted national climate plans, providing a strong foundation for final agreement.
A Carefully Set Table in France
The months of preparation helped create what observers described as an optimistic and collaborative atmosphere in Paris—and ultimately enabled negotiators to reach agreement.
Whether you are organizing international diplomacy or multiparty negotiations inside your own organization, several lessons from the Paris talks apply broadly:
Don’t overlook the environment. Even modest investments in comfort and relationship-building can foster cooperation. Informal meetings, shared meals, or virtual introductions before negotiations begin can reduce tension and build goodwill.
Choose leaders who model collaboration. Selecting representatives known for fairness and cooperation—and asking them to lead negotiations jointly—can help set a constructive tone for all participants.
Start with a shared draft. As negotiation scholar Jeswald Salacuse observed, when parties collaborate on a draft text, they literally begin on the same page. This shared foundation increases the chances of finding common ground compared with simply exchanging competing proposals.
Large negotiations succeed not only because parties agree on outcomes but because organizers carefully design the process that leads there. The Paris talks demonstrate how preparation, trust-building, and thoughtful structure can transform potential chaos into cooperation.
What lessons have you drawn from other major negotiations in history?
