Introduction
Climate Change is the defining issue of our
time and we are at a defining moment. From
shifting weather patterns that threaten food
production, to rising sea levels that increase
the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts
of climate change are global in scope and
unprecedented in scale. Without drastic action
today, adapting to these impacts in the future
will be more difficult and costly
The Human Fingerprint
on Greenhouse Gases
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in
temperatures and weather patterns. Such
shifts can be natural, due to changes in the
sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But
since the 1800s, human activities have been
the main driver of climate change, primarily
due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil
and gas.
Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas
emissions that act like a blanket wrapped
around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and
raising temperatures.
There are some basic well-established
scientific links:
The concentration of GHGs in the earth’s
atmosphere is directly linked to the average
global temperature on Earth;
The concentration has been rising steadily, and
mean global temperatures along with it, since
the time of the Industrial Revolution;
The most abundant GHG, accounting for about
two-thirds of GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO2), is
largely the product of burning fossil fuels.
The new Emissions Gas Report by the UN
Environment Programme finds that there has been
progress since the Paris Agreement was signed in
2015. Greenhouse gas emissions in 2030, based on
policies in place, were projected to increase by 16
percent at the time of the agreement’s adoption.
Today, the projected increase is 3 per cent. However,
predicted 2030 greenhouse gas emissions still must
fall by 28 per cent for the Paris Agreement 2°C
pathway and 42 per cent for the 1.5°C pathway.
What effects of climate
change have already been
seen?
Climate change has already had a huge effect on the
environment, including:
more frequent and intense extreme weather,
such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall
rapid melting of glaciers and ice sheets,
contributing to sea-level rise
huge declines in Arctic sea-ice
warmer oceans, which can fuel more intense
storms and hurricanes and damage wildlife such
as coral reefs
These changes are already having serious
consequences for people and economies
around the world:
For example, Hurricanes Helene and Milton -
which hit parts of the US in September and
October 2024 - could each end up costing at
least $50bn (£40bn), external, according to
provisional estimates.
Global policies on
climate change
1. The UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change, 1992
The UNFCCC set forth certain principles
for addressing climate change by a global
effort, in particular, that of “common but
differentiated responsibilities” of
countries; that development is the
foremost concern of developing countries,
etc.
It also gave a “soft target” for
industrialized countries (Annex I Parties) to
return to 1990 levels of GHG emissions by
2000
All major countries, inc. US, EU, India,
China, have ratified the Convention
2. Kyoto Protocol, 1997:
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11
December 1997. Owing to a complex
ratification process, 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 gases (GHG) emissions in
accordance with agreed individual targets. The
Convention itself only asks those countries to
adopt policies and measures on mitigation and
to report periodically.
In Doha, Qatar, on 8 December 2012, the Doha
Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was
adopted for a second commitment period,
starting in 2013 and lasting until 2020.
3. The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement was adopted at COP21 in
Paris with a goal of “holding the increase in the
global average temperature to well below 2°C
above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to
limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-
industrial levels”. It also aims to strengthen
countries’ ability to adapt to the impact of climate
change.
Objective of the Paris agreement :
alignment with mitigation goals
adaptation and climate-resilient operations
accelerated contributions to transition through
climate finance
strategy, engagement and policy development
reporting
alignment of internal activities.
Current knowledge about
future impacts: ASIA
Glacier melt in the Himalayas is projected to
increase flooding, rock avalanches from
destabilized slopes, and affect water resources
within the next two to three decades. This will
be followed by decreased river flows as the
glaciers recede.
Freshwater availability in Central, South, East
and Southeast Asia particularly in large river
basins is projected to decrease due to climate
change which, along with population growth
and increasing demand arising from higher
standards of living, could adversely affect
more than a billion people by the 2050s.
Coastal areas, especially heavily-populated
mega-delta regions in South, East and
Southeast Asia, will be at greatest risk due to
increased flooding from the sea and in some
mega-deltas flooding from the rivers.
