International issues of mitigation Flashcards
What is the purpose of the Montreal Protocol?
The Montreal Protocol aims to address the depletion of the ozone layer caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-depleting substances.
What were the potential consequences of ozone depletion addressed by the Montreal Protocol?
The potential consequences of ozone depletion include
- increased skin cancers and eye cataracts
- reduced yields in agriculture and fisheries
- accelerated deterioration of plastics used outdoors
- increased ground-level ozone (smog).
What were the obligations under the Montreal Protocol?
The obligations under the Montreal Protocol were to cut production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, particularly CFCs, by half by 1999.
The reductions were based on a basket of chemicals weighted by their “ozone-depleting potential.”
What were the reasons for the participation of countries in the Montreal Protocol?
- Trade restrictions aimed to prevent production shifts to non-parties
- Cost-benefit analysis showed gains for industrialized countries
- Side transfers provided compensation and extensions to poor countries.
What was the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol was an international agreement established in 1997 and enforced from 2005 to 2012.
It set binding emission reduction targets for industrialized countries while excluding emission reduction requirements for developing countries.
What were the mechanisms introduced by the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol introduced mechanisms such as
- emissions trading
- clean development projects, and
- joint implementation
to achieve emission reduction targets in a cost-effective manner.
What were the positive outcomes of the Kyoto Protocol?
The positive outcomes of the Kyoto Protocol included
- countries meeting their emission reduction targets
- the development of reporting and verification methods for greenhouse gas emissions
- the establishment of carbon emissions trading
What were the criticisms of the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol was criticized for
- its limited impact on global carbon emissions
- the migration of heavy industries to developing countries
- its focus on carbon production rather than consumption.
What is the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement is a global agreement signed in 2015
- Involves voluntary pledges by countries to reduce emissions
- Aims to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
What are some open questions regarding the Paris Agreement?
- the enforcement of voluntary pledges
- the feasibility of reaching the +2°C goal
- the absence of specific provisions for carbon pricing.
What is the concept of a Climate Club according to Nordhaus?
A voluntary coalition of countries that agree to take joint action to control emissions.
The larger the coalition, the higher the abatement rate and the closer it reaches the global optimum.
What are the challenges associated with the size of a Climate Club coalition?
The “Small coalition paradox” suggests that bottom-up coalitions, including Climate Clubs, tend to be small, fragile, and unstable.
The grand coalition of all countries is unlikely to be achieved due to the incentives for individual countries to free-ride on the efforts of others.
How can penalties be implemented in a Climate Club?
Penalties, such as trade sanctions, are necessary to induce participation.
It could be carbon duties or uniform penalty tariffs on imports of non-participating countries within the Climate Club regions.
What are the advantages of a Climate Club approach?
The Climate Club approach allows for more effective abatement rates compared to standalone efforts.
It addresses the free-riding problem by creating incentives for countries to participate and take collective action to mitigate climate change.
How does a Climate Club differ from the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol focused on binding emission reduction targets for industrialized countries, while the Climate Club approach emphasizes voluntary agreements and coalitions of countries. The Climate Club approach provides flexibility and a bottom-up approach to climate action.
