School of Energy & Environment (SEE)

International Conventions
on Climate Change

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An article in Tribune in the year 2019

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 Green House Effect
Effects:
A. Increase in Global Temperature
World temperature increasing by 0.70C
Combined effect of increased carbon dioxide and methane
emissions to increase temperature further by 0.40C
B. Climatic Changes
More warming and colder winters at higher altitudes than tropics
Warming of poles 2-3 times of global average
Warming of tropics 50-100 percent of average
Disturbance in thermal gradient
Disturbances in global climatic cycles such as rainfall schedules
Disturbances in global water balance

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 Green House Effect (Cont.)
Effects:
C. Rise in sea level
Excessive melting of polar and western Antarctica ice – rise in
sea level by 40-120 cm
Flooding of low-lying areas and submerging of Islands, lagoons
Increased frequency of tropical cyclones and other storms
D. Agriculture
Increase in temperature regimes
Disturbance in water balances
Pest infestation
Moisture stress on crop plants incl. decrease in soil moisture
E. Health Effects
Spread of diseases; temperature and humidity related ailments

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 Green House Effect (Cont.)

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Pacific Sea Level Rise: Two Nations Prepare to Drown

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 COPs (Conference of Parties)
1992 Rio Earth Summit
—Stabilizing atmospheric
concentrations of GHGs –
greenhouse gases
—Avoid ‘dangerous anthropogenic
interference with the climate
system
1994 UNFCCC – UN Framework
Commission on Climate
Change
COP – annual meeting to
review implementation/status

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 COPs (Cont.)

1995 COP1 – Berlin

—1st one
1997 COP3 – Kyoto
Protocol
2005 COP11 – Montreal
Action Plan
—Extended Kyoto beyond
2012
—Greater cuts in emissions
necessary

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 Kyoto Protocol

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When and Where was it Established??
An agreement made under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The countries that ratify this protocol want to reduce the
emissions of CO2, and other greenhouse gases that cause
climate change
The protocol was agreed upon on December 11th, 1997
—The Third Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC)
—The outcome of a process involving 2000 international scientific
experts
—Confirmed scientifically that projected growth of emissions of
greenhouse gases would warm up the world's climate by up to 5.8°C by
the end of this century.
It came into effect on February 16th, 2005
Renewal of the protocol was in 2012
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When and Where was it Established??

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 Who is Involved in it??
As of November 2007,
174 parties have
ratified this protocol
The U.S. did not
comply to the protocol

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 Who are the Parties??
The parties are broken up into two groups:
—Annex I countries
—Non-annex I countries
Annex I countries have accepted the
responsibilities to reduce the emission of
greenhouse gases
Non-annex I or Annex II countries do not need to
reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, but
they participate in the Clean Development
Mechanism
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What Exactly does this Protocol do??

Annex I countries are required to lower

greenhouse gas emissions by 5% below
1990 levels
EU member states are required to lower
greenhouse gas emissions, by 8%
The levels of greenhouse gas emission must
be lowered during the years of 2008-2012
November 2012 Renewal Meeting in Doha,
Qatar

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 Kyoto Protocol
Dec 1-11, 1997: representatives from 160 countries agreed to enter
into binding limits on emissions of greenhouse gases
Binding Targets
Total: reduce developed nation emissions to 5% below 1990 levels
during“commitment period” 2008-2012 (most countries need -18%
reduction in BAU by 2008)
37 industrialized nations and the EU subject to binding emissions targets
Greenhouse gases: CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6

One tonn carbon emmisiions reduce +1 carbon credit

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Three Primary Mechanisms of CO2 reduction
A. International Emissions Trading (EIT)
Trade carbon units between Annex 1 countries (flow is from countries
with carbon credits to countries with carbon overshoots)
Example: Europe’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), National Allocation Plans
B. Joint Implementation (JI)
Annex 1 countries can invest in a emissions-reduction project in another
Annex 1 country and receive emissions reduction units (ERU)
C. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
Annex 1 countries receive ERUs for emissions reductions in developing
countries
Must certify reductions (they would not have happened without action by Annex
1)
Cons:
For countries that are ultra-efficient, Kyoto would be cost prohibitive. Such
countries can ‘buy their way out’ by buying carbon credits from other countries
Developing countries have incentive to reduce emissions by selling carbon
credits
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 Emission Targets
Only Developed Countries (Annex.1) were asked to to
Accept targets for Emissions

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 Kyoto Protocol: Summary

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 Kyoto Protocol: Summary (Cont.)
1. The developed countries commit themselves to
reducing their collective emissions of six key
greenhouse gases by at least 5%
ü8% by Switzerland, most Central and East European states
ü7% by the US
ü6% by Canada, Hungary, Japan, Poland. Russia, New
Zealand, and Ukraine
üNorway can increase emissions by 1%
üAustralia by up to 8%
üIceland up 10%.
üThe six gases are to be combined in a "basket", with
reductions in individual gases translated into "CO2
equivalents"
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 Kyoto Protocol: Summary (Cont.)
2. Each country’s emissions target must be
achieved by the period 2008-2012
üCuts in the three most important gases — carbon
dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)
- base year of 1990
üCuts in three long-lived industrial gases—
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs),
and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) — 1995 baseline
üActual emission reductions will be much larger than
5%.— the richest industrialized countries (OECD
members) — reduce collective output by about 10%

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 Kyoto Protocol: Summary (Cont.)

3. Countries will have a certain degree of

flexibility in how they make and measure their
emissions reductions
üAn international "emissions trading" regime will be
established allowing industrialized countries to buy and
sell emissions credits amongst themselves
ü"Clean Development Mechanism" for promoting
sustainable development will enable industrialized
countries to finance emissions-reduction projects in
developing countries and receive credit for doing so

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 Kyoto Protocol: Summary (Cont.)

4. The member countries will pursue

emissions cuts in a wide range of
economic sectors
üImprove energy efficiency,
üReform the energy and transportation sectors,
üPromote renewable forms of energy,
üLimit methane emissions from waste management
and energy systems,
üAnd protect forests and other carbon “sinks"

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 Kyoto Protocol: Summary (Cont.)

5. The Protocol will advance the implementation

of existing commitments by all countries
üPromote adaptation to future climate change impacts
üSubmit information on their national climate change
programmes and inventories,
üPromote technology transfer,
üCooperate on scientific and technical research,
üAnd promote public awareness, education, and
training

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 Kyoto Protocol: Weaknesses

A major weakness of the

KP was the failure to limit
emissions from developing
countries—they have
rapidly developed since,
with matching increases in
emissions.

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 COPs

2009 COP15 – Copenhagen

—No agreement reached on
Kyoto Protocol
2010 COP16 – Cancun,
Mexico
—Establishment of clean climate
fund
2011 COP17 – Durban,
South Africa
2012 COP18 – Doha, Qatar
—Re-look at Kyoto Protocol
—Initiation of Paris COP

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 COP20
2014 – Lima, Peru
—Over 15,000 official delegates
—Lima Call for Climate Action
—Draft document of Paris
Agreement
Over 400 conferences
—New research Initiatives
—High profile
speakers/celebrities
—Hollywood activists
—Aboriginal/threatened tribes
Media Coverage
—140 press conferences
—900 journalists/international

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 COP21—Paris Agreement

2015
50,000 participants
25,000 official delegates
192 Governing members have
signed
Oct. 2016
—U.S. & China signed
—Two countries represent 40% of all
emissions

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 COP24

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 COP24 (Cont.)

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 COP24 (Cont.)

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 COP26 – Key Decisions
1. Global Methane Pledge
The U.S. and the EU launched the Global Methane Pledge intending
to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

2. U.S.-China Joint Agreement to Tackle Climate Change

The U.S. and China announced their agreement to “enhance climate
action in the 2020s.” The United States and China are the world’s
top GHG-emitting countries and account for 40% of the world’s
annual carbon output.

3. Global Deforestation Pledge

More than 100 countries, including Brazil, Russia, Canada, and the
Republic of Congo, announced the “Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration
on Forests and Land Use,” pledging to end deforestation by 2030.
4. Zero Emissions Vehicles Pledge
30 countries and automakers pledged to make zero-emission vehicles accessible globally by 2040 and by no later
than 2035 in leading markets. In a separate pledge, 15 countries agreed to work towards 100% zero-emission
sales of new trucks and buses by 2040.

5. Coal Pledge
More than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal power, which is the single biggest contributor to climate
change, responsible for 46% of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

6. Adaptation Finance
Government leaders in Glasgow agreed to mobilize $450 million for locally-led adaptation initiatives in developing
countries, while the Adaptation Fund raised $356 million in new pledges, including first-time contributions from the
United States and Canada.
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 COP27 – Major areas of discussion
1. Fund for loss and damage
Need for a new fund to help countries deal with the
immediate impacts of climate change like drought,
floods, rising temperatures

2. Phasing down of fossil fuels

Phasing out scaled down to phasing down but to
include only coal and not other fossil fuels, with some
countries incl. India disagreeing to the exclusion of the
latter.

3. Keeping 1.5oC alive

A rise in 1.5oC, although not scientifically feasible
entirely, is the commitment to being kept alive.

4. China to be included as a developed country in the

funding process
With China overtaking the US in terms of historical
cumulative emissions and being the second largest
economy, it is to contribute to the climate fund as a
developed country.

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 Will it Work??

What were the strengths and weaknesses of Kyoto

Protocol?
What are the key differences between Paris and Kyoto?
How does Paris attempt to address the failures of
Kyoto?
What are the goals set for mitigation, adaptation and
financing the process of meeting the targets of COP21?
How successful will Paris be? Explain why.
…..This will be part of your evaluation process at some
point of time.

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