Law and Policy of Solar Energy Development Flashcards
What year has Parliament committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by?
2050
Government policy says that the UK will have to be entirely powered by clean energy by what year?
2035 (Net Zero Carbon Strategy, October 2021)
When was the Vienna convention, and why did it happen?
Signed 1969. Created as a response to the growing knowledge that damage to the ozone layer could threaten human health.
When was the Montreal Protocol established, and why was it created?
Signed 1987. Built on the Vienna convention - designed to protect the ozone by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.
It is the only UN treaty ever to have achieved universal ratification of all 197 countries, and so can properly be termed the first “global agreement.”
What does UNFCCC stand for, and when was it adopted?
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, effective since 1994
What is the aim of the UNFCCC?
Stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to a level that would prevent dangerous atmospheric interface with the climate system.
It has near universal membership.
What does COP stand for? & can you name an example?
Conferences of Parties, e.g. COP26 (Glasgow), 2022
When was the Kyoto protocol signed?
1997
Which important country did not have to sign the Kyoto protocol, and why?
China, despite being a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, because it was considered to still be developing
As of 2021, low carbon electricity represents what percentage of the UK’s generation?
Over 50%
What was the Kyoto protocol effectively superseded by?
The Paris Agreement, which was adopted by 196 Parties at COP21 in December 2015
What did the Paris Agreement (at COP21) require?
It required all nations, developed and developing, to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and submit a plan to the UN setting out how they intended to do so.
The Paris Agreement seeks to reduce the rate of global warming to what degree increase?
To well below a 2oC increase, and if possible, to 1.5oC, above pre-industrial levels.
What is the CCA, and when was it implemented?
The Climate Change Act (2008) is UK legislation which outlines the UK’s response to climate change.
What is the Net Zero Strategy, and when was it presented to Parliament?
The Net Zero Strategy was presented to Parliament in October 2021. It is a policy paper which sets out polices and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy. It places a large emphasis on renewable energy generation.
