America’s Climate Failure

America’s Climate Failure

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Context: 

The United States is one of the biggest reasons for the world not able to meet 2030 targets.

More on news:

Loss and damage fund was opened for capitalisation at the COP 28 meeting in Dubai.

America Climate Failures:

Loss and damage fund: US  pledged contrastingly very low US $17 Million as compared to other countries.

The US has the largest share in historical emissions and the world’s biggest economy, carrying a greater burden than any other nation against climate change.

It neither ratified the Kyoto protocol nor abided by its emission reduction targets.

UNFCCC:

The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994.

• It has near-universal membership as  198 countries that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention.
• Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system is the ultimate aim of the UNFCCC.

Parties to UNFCCC are classified as:

ANNEX I

There are 40 Annex I countries plus the European Union. These countries are classified as industrialized countries and countries in transition.

ANNEX II

There are 23 Annex II countries plus the European Union. These countries are classified as developed countries which pay for the costs of developing countries.

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Under the Kyoto Protocol, developing countries are not required to reduce emissions unless developed countries supply funding and technology.

PARIS AGREEMENT:

• The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change.
• It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. It entered into force on 4 November 2016.
• Its objective is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
• Since 2020, countries have been submitting their national climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
• NDCs refers to the efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

KYOTO PROTOCOL:

• The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997. 
• It entered into force on 16 February 2005. 
• Currently, there are 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
• The Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by committing industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets
• It only binds developed countries, and places a heavier burden on them under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities”

The Protocol also offers them an additional means to meet their targets by way of three market-based mechanisms:

• International Emissions Trading
• Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
• Joint implementation (JI)

About IPCC:

1. Establishment: The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
2. Aim: Its aim is to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change

International Energy Agency:

• The International Energy Agency is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, established in 1974
• The 31 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.
• IEA provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the entire global energy sector.

Loss and Damage Fund:

• The L&D fund was first announced at the conclusion of COP-27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
• COP 28 adopted the decision on the operationalization of Loss and damage fund.
• Loss and damage refers to the negative consequences that arise from the unavoidable risks of climate change, like rising sea levels, prolonged heat waves, desertification, the acidification of the sea and extreme events, such as bushfires, species extinction and crop failures.
• The fund aims to provide financial assistance to nations most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.

Adaptation Gap Report:

• The Adaptation Gap Report is released by the United Nations Environment Programme.
• The 2022 Adaptation Gap Report indicates that international adaptation finance flows to developing countries are five to ten times below estimated needs