What is the international community doing about climate change?
INTRODUCTION
The attention towards global climate change issue has been increasing more and more in recent years. Since Rio Conference in 1992, the climate change issue had been tackeled significantly by the international community and then so called Annex-I countries taken greenhouse gas emission reductions at the Kyoto Protocol for 2008-2012 period.
THE EARTH SUMMIT RIO 1992
172 governments participated, with 116 sending their heads of state or government. Some 2,400 representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended, with 17,000 people at the parallel NGO "Global Forum" (also called Forum Global), who had Consultative Status.
The issues addressed included:
*systematic scrutiny of patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline, or poisonous waste including radioactive chemicals.
*alternative sources of energy to replace the use of fossil fuels which delegates linked to global climate change
*new reliance on public transportation systems in order to reduce vehicle emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smoke.
*the growing usage and limited supply of water
The Summit’s message — that nothing less than a transformation of our attitudes and behaviour would bring about the necessary changes — was transmitted by almost 10,000 on-site journalists and heard by millions around the world.
KYOTO PROTOCOL 1997
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on the 11th of December, 1997, but not enacted or enforced until the 16th of February, 2005. The protocol was adopted to help combat the adverse effects of climate change, or global warming.United States did not ratified this agreement.
The Goal: Reduction of 4 Greenhouse Gases
The Kyoto Protocol’s main goal is to reduce the presence of 4 harmful greenhouse gases (GHG’s):
1. Carbon Dioxide
2. Methane
3. Nitrous Oxide
4. Sulphur Hexafluoride
Carbon Credits
In addition, ratifiers of the Kyoto Protocol can purchase carbon credits to help offset their emissions.
PARIS AGREEMENT 2016
Consensus among nearly 200 countries on the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions is regarded as "historic". The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 set emission cutting targets for a handful of developed countries, but the US pulled out and others failed to comply. However, scientists point out that the Paris accord must be stepped up if it is to have any chance of curbing dangerous climate change.
Key elements
1 - To keep global temperatures "well below" 2.0C (3.6F) above pre-industrial times and "endeavour to limit" them even more, to 1.5C
2 - To limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally, beginning at some point between 2050 and 2100
3 - To review each country's contribution to cutting emissions every five years so they scale up to the challenge
4 - For rich countries to help poorer nations by providing "climate finance" to adapt to climate change and switch to renewable energy.
CRITICS
Binding or not binding?
Vague language allows countries maintain the satus quo for long time.
Ambiguos aims: no peak limit on emissions, or decarbonisation
Narrowly defined and short-term ınterests (economics not humans)
Poorest countries left behind
No price in carbon, fossil fuels still the cheapest.
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