Climate Change

Climate Change

Climate change refers to a long term change in the average state and variability of the atmosphere, oceans and land systems occurring over decades or longer. Global warming and global cooling are its two aspects.

Causes of Climate Change

Natural Causes

• Melancholic cycle
• Volcanic eruptions
• Changes in ocean circulation e.g. AMOC
• Changes in atmospheric composition through natural process
• Plate tectonics
• Continental drift

Man-made factors

Emission of greenhouse gases like

• CO₂ emission from coal, oil, and natural gas combustion
• CO₂ emission from deforestation and land use change.
• Methane and N₂O from agriculture and livestock.
• CFCs and HFCs from industries.

These gases create greenhouse effect.

How to Combat Climate Change?

Background to make a global effort to combat global warming or climate change was set back in 1972 when the Stockholm conference was held. Thereafter 1985 Vienna Convention, 1987 Montreal Protocol and 1987 Brundtland report named "Our Common Future" made the discussion on sustainable development more logical.

Finally in the Rio Earth Summit 1992, UNFCCC was created, which promised to stabilize greenhouse emission. However, it has no binding targets.

By 1997, everyone agreed that just promising was not enough. Developed countries has caused most of the industrial pollution so they should take the first big step to cut emissions. Thus in December 1997, 192 countries meet in Kyoto, Japan and created the Kyoto Protocol.

Kyoto Protocol

It work with the idea of our common but differentiated responsibilities. It categorized world in 4

• Annex 1 Countries
  • Developed and Economies of transition
• Annex 2 Countries
  • Developing-Developed countries
• Non-annex Countries
  • Developing countries
• LDC

The only developed countries were held responsible and accountable for the greenhouse gas emission. Thus, these were asked to reduce emission e.g. European Union asked to cutdown 8%, USA was asked to cutdown 7%, Japan was asked to cutdown 6%, Canada was asked to cutdown 6%. However, USA was never ratified treaty and Canada withdrew in 2012. The cutting down in the emission was essential i.e. at least 5,2% below 1990 levels during 2008-12 to meet the objective of keep the global warming up to 1.5°C from pre-industrial level.

In this first phase of Kyoto protocol i.e. 2008-12, 6 greenhouse gases were identified and recognized under it. These were

• CO₂
• CH₄
• N₂O
• HFCs
• PFCs
• SF₆

To achieve this objective Kyoto developed flexible mechanism that is called three flexible ways also. It included

• Emission trading (Carbon market)
  • Each developed country got a certain number of emission permits called AAUs (Assigned Amount Units).
  • If a country emitted less than its target, then it has extra permits so it could sell them into another developed market that was over its target.
  • This created the world's first carbon market.
• Clean Development Mechanism
  • Developed countries could invest in developing countries e.g. windfarm in India by France.
  • The emission reduction from that project where counted toward the rich countries target.
  • Developing countries got money and clean technology and developed countries got certificates thus it was a win-win situation for both.
• Joint Implementation
  • It was similar to CDM in terms of mechanism but alike emission trading it is also between developed countries only.
  • In this one developed country can establish green project in another developed country and both the country get credit.

The Kyoto which came in 2005 after approval from Russia has its first phase between 2008-12.

Its second phase started after Doha Amendment 2012 and it was for 2013-2020.

Success of Kyoto

• It was first global treaty with binding emission target.
• It created first carbon market.
• It helped in develop clean technology.
• It favoured to developing countries.
• Raised global awareness.

Failures of Kyoto

• Developing countries have no target but China has become largest emitter by 2010.
• Global emission still went up mainly because of developing countries.
• Many countries missed their targets or used flexible to avoid real cuts at home.
• US signed but never ratified which was largest emitter till 2010.
• Canada also withdrew in 2011-12.