5.A - Can an international response ever work?

Question 1

what are the criticisms of COP meetings?

Answer 1

• 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.

Question 2

what is the IPCC?

Answer 2

• the IPCC was created in 1988 by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

Question 3

what is the IPCC’s mission?

Answer 3

• 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

Question 4

what are the IPCC’s reports designed to do/what have they contributed to?

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

what are the limitations to its success?

Answer 5

• 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.

Question 6

what was the AR5?

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

how are the G20 greenwashing?

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

what is carbon trading?

Answer 8

e.g. the EU’s Emissions Trading System
- Market based solution to climate change where polluters either cut emissions or incur extra costs

Question 9

what are carbon credits?

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

do carbon credits/trading work?

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

what were the successes of Kyoto, 1997?

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

what were the successes of Copenhagen, 2009?

Answer 12

• 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

Question 13

what were the successes of Paris, 2015?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

what were the failures of Kyoto, 1997?

Answer 14

• 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

Question 15

what were the failures of Copenhagen, 2009?

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

what were the failures of Paris, 2015?

Answer 16

• some may find it too expensive to phase out things like coal fired power stations over a time scale of 20-30yrs
• if a country is hit by an economic recession/political crisis, its priorities may change
• replacing fossil fuels w/ renewables needs technology that doesn’t exist
• merely a statement of intent

Question 17

how is SWEDEN going beyond international agreements?

Answer 17

• Sweden is top of decarbonisation
• imposes highest carbon tax in the world and aims to be net 0 by 2045
• running public transport on methane produced from entrails of slaughtered cows
• stockholm’s central station is planning to harness the body heat of 250,000 daily commuters to heat a nearby office block
• 1990-2006 Sweden cut its emissions by 9% while enjoying economic growth of 44% in fixed prices
• CARBON TAX 1991. Swedes pay an extra 2.34 Kroner per litre when they fill the tank. Steers society towards climate friendly solutions.
• Swedes are proud to be environmentally leading. incentive
• insulating homes cuts energy consumption by 50%
• Swedes get a 10,000 kroner (£860) rebate when they buy a green car. Cars going in and out of inner city zone pay more depending on time of day. busier = pay more

Question 18

how is CALIFORNIA going beyond international agreements?

Answer 18

• AB32 = groundbreaking law to combat climate change. Reduce California’s GHGs by 30% by 2020 (much more than Kyoto)
• SB350 = 50% of energy has to be from renewable energy
• Trump says climate change mitigation will destroy jobs. Californian governor says there are 331,000 jobs directly attributable to renewable energy. well paid jobs/investing in jobs for the community.
• more people employed in solar industry than coal industry in the US
• Cap and Trade scheme is 2nd largest in the world
• requires companies to buy carbon credits. companies can sell if they are under their cap = financial incentive. people charged an extra 20-74 cents at the pump on fuel

Question 19

how is LONDON going beyond international agreements?

Answer 19

• green roofs. interception and absorb solar radiation
• decreased CO2 emissions to 30% of 1990 levels by 2025
• green homes programme = subsidised/free home insulation
• new building standards to improve energy efficiency
• local, small scale renewable energy schemes
• encouraging ‘waste to energy’ alternative to landfill
• clean, efficient public transport.
• all 8000 London buses to diesel electric hybrids