They’re off. France on Thursday waved the starting flag for the Climate Change Conference due to open on 30 November. Marking the COP21 kick-off, the French prime minister confirmed a move to help reduce the use of coal globally.

It was an important day in Paris with the French presidency launching the programme to make COP21 a success.

“The stakes are enormous,” said French Prime Minister Manuel Valls. ” The whole of humanity is concerned; the survival of our planet depends on it.”

The stakes are enormous. The whole of humanity is concerned; the survival of our planet depends on it.

He went on to say that the first seven months of 2015 were the hottest on record for the world’s surface and that those who suffer the consequences of extra-violent weather conditions are the most vulnerable people.

France is one of about 60 countries who have submitted their pledges to the COP21 so far, out of 195 expected to attend and hopefully sign a new international accord aimed at capping global warming by two degrees above pre-industrial levels.

One of the main bones of contention among the conference’s participants is fundamental: whether the target level should be two degrees or one-point-five.

At the mobilisation launch on Thursday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that it’s “vital to reach an agreement”.