Important Global Initiatives to Combat Climate Change

The article talks about the global initiatives to combat climate change as this has brought the world to a high risk of disasters. Many global conventions and treaties were signed to make a joint effort to combat climate change. This topic is relevant from an exam point of view and students need to learn about all the global initiatives concerning climate change

Global Initiatives to Combat Climate Change:

1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) established the IPCC to provide a mechanism for studying the effects of global warming at the government level.  
  
• The IPCC is the United Nations body that evaluates science on climate change. Its objective is to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments of climate change, its impacts, and potential future risks while providing options for adaptation and mitigation. It complements the UNFCCC and vice versa.
  

2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):

• It entered into force on March 21, 1994. The 195 countries that have ratified it are called parties to the treaty.
  The UNFCC is the Rio Convention, which is one of three conventions adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Others include the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. A joint liaison group was established to ensure cooperation among the three treaties.
  
• It now also includes the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The treaty’s ultimate goal is to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at levels that prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
  
• It also aims to reach the above levels within a given time frame to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change while ensuring food security and sustainable economic development.  
  
• Since its establishment, COP1 (the first Conference of the Parties) has been held in Berlin, COP2 in Geneva, and COP3 in Kyoto, and the Kyoto Protocol, which ensures the implementation of the UNFCCC’s goals, was adopted. 

3. Kyoto Protocol

• The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on December 11, 1997, and entered into force on February 16, 2005. Its signatories commit to meeting emission reduction targets.
  
• COP 7, held in Morocco in 2001, adopted detailed rules for the implementation of the Protocol. These are called the “Marrakesh Accords”.
  
• The protocol blames the current high emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere due to the role developed countries played in the industrial revolution.
  
• The Kyoto Mechanisms, also known as the Flexible Mechanisms, are defined in the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the overall cost of meeting emissions targets. This includes emissions trading, clean development mechanisms, and joint implementation.
  
• In December 2012, the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was passed. Here are the changes made: New commitments have been made by Annex I Parties (developed countries and countries with economies in transition) to be implemented between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2020. Revised list of greenhouse gases to be reported by Parties during the second commitment period. Amendments were made to update several articles of the Kyoto Protocol to reflect the second commitment period.
  
• The Kyoto Protocol is an important step toward reducing the global emissions regime that will allow us to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Paris Agreement

• Signed in 2016, it is considered the world’s first comprehensive climate agreement.
  
• The purpose is to strive to keep global temperatures well below 2°C below pre-industrial levels and 1.5°C below and to strengthen the capacity of countries to confront the adverse impacts of climate change.
  
• The Paris Agreement calls for greenhouse gas emissions from human activity to be reduced to match emissions from trees, soil, and oceans, and to be naturally absorbed.
  
• According to the agreement, each country’s contribution to reducing emissions must be reviewed every five years. It also says rich countries must help poor countries by providing “climate finance” to switch to using renewable energy.
  
• The agreement is binding on some elements, such as reporting requirements. Other elements of the agreement, such as national emission targets, are non-binding.
  
• The Paris Climate Agreement calls on all parties to commit to their best efforts through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the future. 
  
• This includes the need for regular reporting by Parties on their emissions and their implementation. India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) includes a 33-35% reduction in GDP intensity from 2005 levels by 2030, reducing the share of non-fossil fuel electricity We are also committed to a 40% increase by 2020.  We also agree to improve forest cover, which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2030.

5. REDD+

• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is a mechanism developed by Parties to the UNFCCC.
  
• It creates monetary value for the carbon stored in forests, providing incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forestlands and invest in low-carbon pathways.  Developing countries receive results-based payments for their results-based actions.
  
• REDD+ goes beyond simple deforestation and forest degradation by embracing its role in nature conservation, sustainable forest management, and enhancing forest carbon stocks. 
  
• Financial flows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through REDD+ are estimated to reach up to $30 billion annually. This improved north-south financial flow will ensure significant reductions in carbon emissions and the promotion of inclusive development. It can also improve biodiversity conservation and ensure important ecosystem services. As forests are important carbon sinks, it is important to make them more resilient to climate change.

Reactions: Mitigation and Adaptation:

• The impacts of climate change can be mitigated by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the sinks that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. To keep the global temperature below 1.5°C with a high probability requires net zero global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, or 2°C by 2070. This will require far-reaching and systemic changes of unprecedented scale in energy, land, cities, transport, buildings, and industry.
  
• The United Nations Environment Program estimates that over the next decade, countries will need to triple the reductions they pledged in the current Paris Agreement to limit warming to 2°C.   
  
• Further significant reductions are needed to reach the 1.5°C target. Although there is no single way to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2.0 °C (2.7 or 3.6 °F), most scenarios and strategies combine increased energy efficiency measures to produce the required greenhouses. , sees a significant increase in the use of renewable energy and GHG reduction.
  
• Reducing pressure on ecosystems and improving their ability to store carbon also requires changes in agriculture and forestry, including the restoration of natural ecosystems through reforestation.
  
• Other approaches to mitigating climate change carry higher risks. Scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5°C generally project large-scale deployment of carbon removal methods during the 21st century.