Climate Change Important Points Avinash Godbole, IDSA.

Climate change has become an important subject matter in contemporary international politics. It began through various scientific studies in the 1970s with specific focus areas like ozone depletion, biodiversity loss, arctic meltdown, global warming etc. Later on it became comprehensive and began to be understood as a holistic concept of climate change. In the 1980s it firmly came on the international agenda when its trans-boundary nature became clear. Montreal Protocol of 1987 was one example of successful international cooperation on the subject of environmental damage and collective action for its restoration. It follows from the Vienna Convention on protecting the Ozone Layer (1985). It is a treaty on reducing the agents (CFCs) that harm the Ozone Layer. First multilateral treaty where it was successfully agreed to reduce the production and usage of various CFCs in a time bound manner. Definitions of Climate Change IPCC: Climate change refers to a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended period (typically decades or longer). Climate change may be due to natural internal processes or external forcings, or to persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use. UNFCCC: Climate change means a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. So here the focus is on anthropogenic causes of climate change. Therefore, if the climate change is to be reduced or reversed then there need to be changes in the ways in which the humanity conducts itself. Examples of Anthropogenic Causes A) Food: 1) Agriculture: pesticides, transportation, methane emissions 2) irrigation: Dams, intervention in natural flows, water logging, 3) Fishing: Whale for example, packaging , 4) Meat production: water and feed grain needs B)Energy: 1)Coal, 2) Petroleum Industry, 3)Dams, C) Industry: 1)Automobile, 2)Paper, 3)Steel and other mining, 4) Paints, 5)Cleaning Products.

Complexity of the Subject: Multitude of actors are involved as stakeholders in the climate change dialogue; Scientific community, governments, business, industries like coal and automobile, consumers, NGOs, financial markets, armed forces and so on. So far the process of negotiations have been about managing the interests of all these groups therefore it is a slow process. UNFCCC was the first effort towards addressing the issue collectively. In 1992, meeting called the Earth Summit, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, came into being to cooperatively consider what they could do to limit average global temperature increases and the resulting climate change, and to cope with whatever impacts were, by then, inevitable. The UNFCCC was opened for signature on May 9, 1992 and it entered into force on March 21, 1994 after 55 countries responsible for 55% of emissions ratified it. It is a framework treaty. It set a voluntary & non-binding aim to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases with the goal of "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with Earth's climate system. It is a framework treaty. However, it is important because it created the basis for subsequent negotiations through Conference of Parties (CoP). The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities came into being; greater responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the near term on industrialized countries, listed as Annex I in the UNFCCC. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) emerges from two recognitions; A) that the industrialised countries had contributed major share of carbon emissions till then. B) that developing countries need to have a share of space for carbon emissions during their growth while industrialised countries reduce their emissions. CBDR has been important base for future negotiations of the treaty. It is fundamental to Indias position on CC. Kyoto Protocol UNFCCC had set 1990 as benchmark year for emission reductions. At Kyoto, 3rd CoP, 37 industrialized countries plus the European Community (15) agreed to legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of an average of 6 to 8% below 1990 levels between the years 20082012, after which review was to be undertaken. The targets apply to the four major greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride.

The Protocol was initially adopted on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. The United States was required to reduce its total emissions by 7% below 1990 levels; however Congress did not ratify the treaty after Clinton signed it. The Bush administration explicitly rejected the protocol in 2001. Recently, Canada withdrew from the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol after the Durban CoP. Clean Development Mechanism: to promote clean development in developing countries since emission cuts are less expensive in developing countries than developed countries. Developing countries, instead of starting with higher emissions, would implement cleaner projects with the financial and technological help of Annex I countries. 2007 Bali Roadmap declared four pillars of actions on climate change Mitigation: Continued & enhanced efforts to reduce emissions Adaptation: devising ways to reduce the impact of adverse change Finance: for developing countries to undertake their actions. Technology transfers: for joint efforts and help to developing countries. Durban 2011 Durban Platform for Enhanced Action: It Commits parties to a fresh round of multilateral negotiations for GHG emissions leading to an outcome that would have some legal form, but would be applicable to all parties. Negotiations are to conclude in 2015, but implementation will be not later than 2020. Surprisingly it has no mention of CBDR or Bali Roadmap. So the future of climate negotiations looks uncertain as of now. Indias domestic action plan on Climate Change is the National Action Plan on Climate Change: It has 8 dedicated and target aimed missions. It includes the National Solar Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for a "Green India", National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change.

NAPCC is based on the following principles Protecting the poor and vulnerable sections of society through an inclusive and sustainable development strategy, sensitive to climate change. Achieving national growth objectives through a qualitative change in direction that enhances ecological sustainability, leading to further mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Devising efficient and cost-effective strategies for end use Demand Side Management. Deploying appropriate technologies for both adaptation and mitigation of greenhouse gases emissions extensively as well as at an accelerated pace. Engineering new and innovative forms of market, regulatory and voluntary mechanisms to promote sustainable development. Effecting implementation of programmes through unique linkages, including with civil society and local government institutions and through public-private partnership. Welcoming international cooperation for research, development, sharing and transfer of technologies enabled by additional funding and a global IPR regime that facilitates technology transfer to developing countries under the UNFCCC.