UNFCCC

Question- (a)What is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)? What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)? What are the major scientific facts in the IPCC that provide evidence that the Earth is warming up? Why are some scientists saying that the climate change is NOT man-made (e.g. human industrial activities) but a “natural phenomenon”?

(b)Describe the current governmental approach to mitigating (controlling) the climate change problem. Choose two Asian countries.Contrast the mitigation programs of the two countries. How effective are the climate change programs? Why or why not?

Introduction

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 

Major scientific facts provided by IPCC

Climate Change is a Natural Phenomena

Current Approach of the Government to mitigate change in climate in India

Climate change mitigation strategies by China

Contrast of the mitigation programs of China and India

Effectiveness of the mitigation programs

Conclusion

References

Global climate change is a major issue affecting the world recently. Several countries are devising strategies to control the adverse effects of climate change. The United Nations Framework on climate change is devising various strategies to mitigate the change in climate. The intergovernmental panels on climate change are strategizing ways to curb the change in climate. Climate change is affecting the human beings, animal world and the plants. In the present report the governmental approach to mitigate climate change has been studied in two countries, India and China. The government of these two countries undertook various measures to control the adverse effects of climates. Some of the programs have been successful and some has not been successful. Raising mass awareness among the general public is the first step towards controlling climate change.

UNFCCC is an international treaty on environment which is negotiated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). It is informally known as the Earth Summit. The main aim of the treaty is to stabilize the green house gas concentration in the atmosphere at a specific level that will reduce the anthropogenic interference within the climatic system. The treaty has not set any target for the countries regarding their green house gas emission. The treaty does not have any kind of mechanism of enforcement or legal bindings on the countries. The treaty provides a framework for the specific international treaties (known as protocols) which has set binding limitations on green house gases. In 1997, UNFCCC introduced the KYOTO protocol to introduce legal bindings for the developed countries to reduce the emission of the green house gases. The 2010 Cancun agreement concluded that the global warming should be limited to below 2.0 degree centigrade (3.6 degree F) relative to the pre industrial level.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a leading international body that provides assessment to change of climate. The panel was established by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and WMO (World Meteorological Organization. The panel was established in the year 1988. The panel was established to provide a clear view of the current situation of the climate change in the world and its potential socio-economic and environmental adverse impacts. The IPCC is a scientific body that acts under the United Nations. Climate change is understood by in a scientific, technical and economic way. They want to gather relevant information regarding the change of climate and impart the information to the other countries in the world. The IPCC is supported by WMO and UNEP. The IPCC is a intergovernmental body. It opens its panel for the all the member countries of the United Nations and WMO. Currently there are 195 members of IPCC. The schedules are processed by the government before they are implemented. The main decisions are taken by the Government for implementing the main decisions of the programme.

IPCC

The policy makers of IPCC reports that the extreme weather events released overnight concludes that the change in climate leads to change in the frequency, intensity and duration of the timing of the extreme change in weather and the major climatic events. The fifth assessment on climate change provides a comprehensive assessment of the physical aspects related to climate change. In the last centuries the global temperature has increased. The warming has been about 0.85 degrees centigrade from 1880 to 2012 with an increase about 0.72 degrees centigrade from 1951 to 2012. The three decades has been the warmest. These years have been the warmest in the last 800 years. According to the report, the humidity of the lower atmospheres has risen since 1970s but there is lack of relevant information regarding the changes in the precipitation level.

Changes have been noticed in the properties of the ocean. Warming results in change in the salinity of the water rise of the carbon content and there is change in the acid content and decline of the oxygen concentration. The changes in the pattern have been consistent with climate change. It is also seen that there is rise in the sea level from the low rates in the order of tenths of mm per year. The global mean sea level has risen by 0.19m over the period of 1901 to 2010. There has been significant decline in the number of cold days and nights and increase has been noticed in the number of warmer days and nights on a global scale. The heat waves have increased since the middle of the 20^th century. There has significant rise in the frequency and intensity of the storms in the North Atlantic since 1970s. In 2011, significant rise in the concentration of the green house gases, concentration of carbon dioxide and methane has increased than the range of concentration that has been recorded in the ice cores. The main source of carbon dioxide is from the burning of the fossil fuels and cement production.

There are various climate scientists who state that climate change is not a man made phenomena rather it is a natural phenomena. The major influence of change in climate is by carbon dioxide. Infra red heat is absorbed by carbon dioxide at a higher rate than it is absorbed by nitrogen or oxygen. So, it can be said that there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This results in warming up of the atmosphere. Climate change is often said to be contributed by the human beings because they tend to responsible for the large increase in the carbon dioxide level. At the beginning of industrial revolution in 1800, there was 280 parts per million ( ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased to 400 ppm.

Like the other emerging economies, India faces challenges to reconcile the rapid economic growth of the country with the urgent need to mitigate the change in climate. Measures has been taken by the Indian Government to mitigate the adverse impacts of the climate change by reducing the emission intensity of the gross domestic product by a considerable amount by 20 to 25% from the levels of 2005 by 2020. The Indian Government has launched a special program to curb the change in climate. It is known as the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The plan will control eight major emissions that affect the climatic condition of the world. A concern was over the climate change approach was discussed in the 11^th session of the 5 year plan. In this summit climate change concern was expressed with the objective of increasing the energy efficiency of the country by 20% with the year 2016-2017. The major cause of change in climate is the carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide emission in India in the year 2007 was 1772 million tones. The emissions are from use of land and also from the forestry sector. This has also resulted in the rise in the green house gases. It has been estimated that the emissions of the green house gases were 22% between the year 2000 and 2007 while the increase in the population has been 11%. There are various national schemes that are implemented by the Government to reduce the emission of the green house gases. The Government has formulated various policies and measures to curb the rise in the emission of green house gases. But there is need of adequate financing to make all the programs successful. Apart from the emission of the green house gases that has affected the climate change, India also pledges to exclude the methane emissions that take place from the agricultural sector. It was estimated in 2007 that the total emission from the agricultural constitutes about 19% of the total emissions. The Planning Commission has implemented various strategies to make India a low carbon economy. A specific time line has been set for the fulfillment of the action plan. The eight national missions of the Government to mitigate the change in climate include National Solar mission, National mission on enhanced energy efficiency and National mission on Strategic knowledge for climate change. The NAPCC has taken special measures to reduce the emission of the green house gases which retards development and devise strategies without compromising with the various tradeoffs. The missions of the Government for increasing the energy efficiency of the country and the solar mission will reduce the carbon emissions by 20 to 25%. The specific policies to mitigate the change in climate will be taken around wide range of sectors like the agriculture sector, health, water, forests and renewable energy sector.

Scientific Facts

In 2014, China and United states has entered into a bilateral agreement to promote clean energy development and reduce the emission of the green house gases. China has taken pledge to reduce the green house gas emission by 2030 by 26 – 28%. The measures taken by both the governments are significant steps towards mitigating the change in the climate as a result of the rise in the green house gas emissions. These two are the highest green house gas emitting countries in the whole world. The country is putting forward ambitious target to reduce the emission of the green house gases. The Global climate agreement between China and United States is a major step towards addressing the issue. China will achieve its target to reduce the emission of the green house gases by promoting the generation of the non fossil fuel energy to meet 20% of the energy requirements of the country. This will be achieved within the year 2030. To achieve the target China will require 800 and 1000 giga watts of nuclear, solar and other zero emission power generation by 2030. The estimated energy generation is much higher than the current generation of energy from the coal fired power plants. The measures will be implemented by China along with reduction of air pollution particularly at the capital of the country Beijing. The commitment of China is to generate energy from alternative sources and put an end to the cold era. China will use natural gas and other renewable sources of energy by using clean energy efficient sources of energy. United States and China will strengthen their cooperation on climate and clean energy initiative. They will also work together to lower the green house gas emissions. The two countries have extended their hand to enhance research and development programs and also enhance their co-operation on the hydro flouro carbons. They will also launch a climate-smart low carbon generating cities that will promote the trading of the green goods and demonstrate clean energy in the city. As a measure to reduce the adverse impact of climate change, China along with United States has agreed to focus on the various standards of enhanced heavy duty and other vehicle fuel. They will also develop technologies to control the emission from the vehicles. They will also promote efficient and clean process of freight. Increasing mass awareness among the public is a vital step towards controlling the emission of the green house gases. There will stringent standards of emission that will improve the quality of air and reduce the emission of black carbon. Fuel efficient standards will be developed by China in three areas. They are Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin. The reduction or control of the green house gases will be possible if China will strengthen their green freight initiatives.

The reduction of the emission of the green house gases and controlling the adverse impact of climate change are equally important for China and India. India has started several programs to reduce the carbon emissions. Since Agricultural sector is one of the major sectors of the country, measures have been taken by the Government to reduce the methane gas emissions from the agricultural sector. India plans to increase its energy efficiency by 20% by 2017. There are several national schemes that have been taken up by the Government for the reduction of the emission of the green house gases. The Government has devised various policies and measures to curb the rise in the emission of green house gases. But there is need of adequate financial help to reduce the emission of the GHG gas in order make all the programs successful. The NAPCC has taken measures for the reduction of the emission of the green house gases which has stopped the development of the country. Thus it is important for India to devise strategies without compromising with the various tradeoffs. The missions of the Government to increase the energy efficiency of the country and the solar mission will reduce the carbon emissions by 20 to 25%. The specific measures have been taken by the Government to reduce the emission of the carbon in the health, water, agriculture sectors.

On the other hand, China has taken measures to reduce the emission of the green house gases by 26-28% by 2030. China has entered into collaboration with United States to reduce the emission of the green house gases. China will reduce the emission of the green house gases by promoting the generation of non fossil fuel energy. United States and China will work in collaboration to reduce the adverse impact of the change in climate. The measures will be implemented by China to reduce the level of air pollution particularly at the major cities of the country. The commitment of China is to generate energy from alternative sources and put an end to the cold era. China will use natural gas as a source of energy. These measures will mitigate the climate change problem.

The climate change initiatives of India and China has been undertaken to reduce the impact of the green house gas emission. Both the countries have set a 5 to 10 years target to achieve the mission. The countries have been quite successful in raising awareness among the public about the effects of global warming in the world.

Conclusion

Climate change has caused adverse effects in India as well as in China. It is important for both the countries to undertake measures to reduce the adverse impact of climate change. India has taken several initiatives to reduce the carbon emissions and other emissions that pose severe threat on environment. Similarly, China has also undertaken several measures to reduce impact of the green house gases by devising certain stringent policies.

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