What are we Doing About it? Flashcards
Lectures 27-30
In what year did the Rio “Earth Summit” occur?
1992
During the Rio summit, what year did Canada promise to bring down our carbon emissions to 1990 levels by?
2000
There were two other summits- what years where they in, and where?
1995- Berlin COP 1
1997- Kyoto COP 3
During the Kyoto protocol, developing nations promised to put a cap to reduce emissions to 1990 levels between the years 2008-2012. In a percentage, what was this cap?
5.2%
When the cap was put in place between 2008-2012, the sum of all reduction would be the 5.2% cap- each country made their own promise. What did Canada and the US promise to reduce our carbon emissions by?
Canada- 6%
US- 7%
True or False: there was limits for emissions in developing nations like China and India
False: there were no limits at all
What is the definition of emission trading?
Emission trading is an approach that provides incentive for countries to achieve carbon reductions. Permits were sold to allow a certain amount of carbon emissions in a certain time period.
True or False: Emission trading permits were given to all countries, even ones with caps.
False: only countries without caps were part of the emission trading program `
After the Kyoto summit, in 2000 where did the next summit take place?
Hague, Netherlands
In the Hague summit why did Canada and the US not reach a deal?
They did not get the credits they wanted for their forests
True or False: George W. Bush won the election in 2000 and was not going to sign onto the protocol
True
True or False: in Ottawa, 2000, the US and Canada finally reached a deal for the credits concerning their forests
False: no deal had been reached
In the Mid 2001’s, did Bush submit the carbon emission treaty to the senate?
No he did not, despite everyone wanting him to
The next summit took place in the November of 2001- where was it located?
Marrakesh, Morocco
Every country was in agreement except for the US at the Marrakesh summit- why was this?
They were not invited
True or False: the EU ratified the treaty in the August of 2002.
True
When did Canada ratify the treaty?
December of 2002
True or False: Between 2008-2012 Canada and the US made very little progress.
True
In 2009 where was the next summit?
Copenhagen, Denmark COP 15
True or False: When Obama was elected they wanted to take part in the COP summits
True
What does COP stand for?
Conference of Parties
During the Copenhagen summit, legally, what did the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa agree upon, relating to the accord, if their carbon reduction goals were not met?
They agreed the accord wasn’t legally binding and there would be no repercussions.
What year to Copenhagen switch to to use as their carbon emission benchmark?
2005
By 2020 what did the Harper government want to bring Canada’s carbon emissions down by?
17%
True or False: The Copenhagen summit was the first summit to mention temperature rise and emission transparency on top of carbon.
True
Relating to emission transparency, what did the rich countries pledge?
To go under rigorous, robust and transparent scrutiny under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and will put in national reports
What is the problem with having countries submit national reports on their carbon emissions?
They can but any numbers they want
What year was the Copenhagen accord to be reviewed by?
2015
Where was the 2012 summit held?
Durban, South Africa COP 17
What was the objective of the Durban summit?
To determine the future of the previous Kyoto protocol
What was the Durban summit’s success on common responsibility?
The world admitted that both developed and developing countries must be responsible for fixing climate change.
What is the “Durban Platform”?
A process by which all parties to the UN Climate Change Convention will commit to a new international agreement with legal force to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
What did the Durban Platform about their methods of keeping global temperature increase between 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius?
That the current efforts would not suffice
By 2015 what did the Durban Platform want treaty wise?
Developed and developing nations will have negotiated a treaty, a “legal instrument or legal outcome” by 2015 that will reduce carbon emissions
Between what years did they want to end the Kyoto Protocol?
Dec. 2017- Dec. 2020
True or False: At the Durban summit they said the new treaty would be put into effect in 2020 and that only some countries had to make emission cuts.
False: All countries had to participate in the treaty and make emission cuts.
What three countries are a good example of country dynamics?
Canada, Japan and Russia
With of the three countries, Canada, Japan, Russia, commit 4% of the world carbon emissions?
Japan
True or False: Canada accounts for 1.8% of the world’s carbon emission, and withdrew from the protocol during COP 17, or the Durban summit.
True
While Canada promised to decrease their emissions by 6% by 2012, they increased by ___, leading to a $14 billion dollar fine
30%
Japan refused to sign onto the second commitment. Why was this, and when would they sign?
Japan did not believe the commitment was the right path, and would only sign when the commitment was all inclusive.
True or False: Russia did agree to sign to the second commitment since they contribute 5.67% of global emissions
False: while Russia does contribute 5.67% of global emissions, they, like Japan, did not sign the second commitment
True or False: Russia fully supported Canada’s withdraw from the program.
True
Canada agreed to reduce emissions by ___ mega tonnes in 1990 under Kyoto
600
Canada had 694 mega tonnes of CO2 in 2002, and ___ mega tonnes of CO2 in 2010
764
The EU and _ other countries will be subject to a second round of targets under the Kyoto protocol.
9
When Canada, Japan and Russia pulled out of the commitment period, countries responsible for less than ___ of the emissions were left to deal with the commitment.
15%
True or False: China, US, and India had involuntary involvement in the second commitment period.
False: they were only required to voluntarily participate in the second commitment period.
On December 11th, 2011, what did the climate action tracker (CAT) say the world was on tract to increase the global temperature by?
3 degrees Celsius
What were the consequences if the world’s temperature was raised by 3 degrees?
Die-back of the amazon rain-forest- 80%
Algae and sea grass replacing coral reefs
Irreversible loss of Greenland and ice
Risk of release of methane hydrates from the ocean floor (further adding to warming)
Thawing of Permafrost
What was the last CO2 reading on March 26th, 2018?
409.66 ppm
True or False: COP 17 (Durban) commitment was enough to keep the global raise in temperature below 2 degrees Celsius.
False: It didn’t even have a 50/50 chance keeping global temperatures from rising.
What country is considering Australia its new home if its archipelago island is overtaken by rising sea levels?
Maldives
If the sea level rises by _m, Archipelago will be underwater.
3 meters
Where was the November 2013 summit held?
Warsaw, Poland COP 19
What did the parties implement by 2020 to ensure a drop in carbon emissions during the Warsaw summit?
A mandatory treaty to make change
Where was the December 2015 summit held?
Paris France, COP 21
On what day did the Paris agreement open for signatures at the UN headquarters in New York?
April 22, 2016
When did the Paris agreement come into force? What had occurred just before it?
It occurred on November 4th, 2016- it happened just after the double threshold had been met.
What is the ‘double threshold’?
Ratification by 55 countries that account for at least 55% of global emissions.
How many UN nations are in the current ratification after the Paris summit?
185
After the Paris summit what is the long term temperature goal in article 2?
limiting global temperature increase as well below 2 C, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 C.
After the Paris summit what is the global peaking and climate neutrality in article 4?
reach global peaking of (GHG’s) as soon as possible, recognizing peaking will take longer for developing countries, and achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks by the second half of the century
After the Paris summit what is the mitigation of article 4?
binding commitments by all Parties to prepare, communicate and maintain a nationally determined contribution (NDC) and to pursue domestic measures to achieve them.
In the mitigation of article 4 there is no consequences for not meeting the mark for lowering carbon emissions- what has Canada promised to lower ours by?
30%
True or False: Every 5 years in the Mitigation article all parties must have meetings about their NDC’s progress, and the number can be the same each time.
False: Every meeting the NDC must be better than the last one.
After the Paris summit, what is the global stocktake in article 14?
It is to take place in 2023 and every 5 years thereafter, will assess collective progress toward achieving the purpose of the agreement in a comprehensive and facilitative manor
After the Paris summit, what is the Finance, technology and capacity-building support in article 9, 10 and 11?
Developed countries must support the efforts of developing country to build clean new tech and the green climate fund, shall provide international cooperation on climate-safe technology development
In 2017 Canada made a ‘green plan’ to reach our reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. What are Canada’s 4 methods to do so?
Investing in public transit
Clean technology and innovation
Working with provinces and territories to develop further measures.
Reduction for increases in carbon sequestered in forests soils and wetlands
