5.a Flashcards
what are the criticisms of COP meetings?
greenwashing
countries in the G20 account for 80% of emissions
poorest 50% account for 1/10
pledges don’t include aviation, import of goods etc. misleading.
countries finding loopholes e.g. double counting reductions/moving emissions overseas.
no sense of urgency from govts. decreasing emissions is not enough.
govts and CEOs are ineffective and change should come from the people.
what is the IPCC?
the IPCC was created in 1988 by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
what is the IPCC’s mission?
objective, science based reports on climate change and its impacts
understanding of possible risks associated w/ human-induced climate change.
options for mitigation and adaptation
what are the IPCC’s reports designed to do/what have they contributed to?
the IPCC’s reports designed to inform policy makers are neutral with respect to policy
since 1988 the IPCC has delivered 5 reports, the most recent in 2013
what are the limitations to its success?
china and India refused to limit their carbon emissions in Kyoto => no difference
absence of any binding requirements for incorporating the full range of views
complex and uncertain extreme changes and events more difficult to model
haven’t actually done anything. can’t enforce anything, down to individual control. can advise but no sovereign decision making power
300-350 contributing to report, arrived by consensus = often watered down as all scientists have to agree = not as strong as it could be.
what was the AR5?
the fifth assessment report
the most comprehensive synthesis to date; experts from more than 80 countries contributed
serves as the basis to inform domestic and international climate policies
led to the Paris Agreement = important. where they got the 2C limit from
report found that human influence is extremely likely to have been the major cause of global increase in temps since mid-20th c
how are the G20 greenwashing?
the G20 account for 80% of emissions
whereas the poorest 50% account for 1/10
pledges don’t include aviation/import of goods etc. misleading
what is carbon trading?
e.g. the EU’s Emissions Trading System
- Market based solution to climate change where polluters either cut emissions or incur extra costs
what are carbon credits?
participants are allocated a tradeable emissions allowance/credits.
1 credit = 1 tonne of CO2
if emissions exceed yearly allowance then participants can purchase extra from those with unused credits
do carbon credits/trading work?
the number of credits issued decreases each year
overall, has achieved real (though relatively small) decrease in carbon emissions.
it has been criticised for issuing too many credits and in its early stages not imposing sanctions
industries criticise the scheme because it imposes extra costs, giving non-EU competitors an unfair advantage
also suggested that some energy-intensive industries might relocate overseas
helped EU reach its Kyoto target
what were the successes of Kyoto, 1997?
first legally binding international agreement on limiting carbon emissions
main drivers of Kyoto were EU
set an avg target of 5% decrease in carbon emissions relative to 1990 levels by 2012
many countries, particularly Europe, achieved their targets
what were the successes of Copenhagen, 2009?
110 leaders present and a single issue on the agenda
refined the debate between countries in terms of awareness of climate science
green growth is now the prevailing economic model of our time
countries from both developed and developing worlds have announced low carbon economic plans
what were the successes of Paris, 2015?
commits 195 countries to decreasing their emissions of GHGs so the future avg temp won’t exceed above 2C
never have so many countries expressed a public commitment to act together to slow the rate of atmospheric warming.
targets set and accurate records will be kept/made available
wealthy countries will make affordable finance available and will share science/tech behind low GHG emissions routes
April 2016 = legally binding
what were the failures of Kyoto, 1997?
although supported by many Acs, together they account for only 14% of CO2 emissions
this is because the USA, Russia, Japan, Canada and developing countries are not part
EDCs argued that Acs had a moral responsiblilyt to deal w/ a problem they caused
China and India prioritised development
many countries fell short and some even increased emissions substantially
what were the failures of Copenhagen, 2009?
not enough to overcome sovereignty concerns
final decision reflects the fact that many countries only want to be answerable to themselves
targets are yet to be announced and they may be at the low end of what was promised
no verification of actions taken in the underdeveloped world unless they are paid for by developed.
deal as it stands leaves world on a 3C increase path
