Have we lost the fight against climate change

Relevance: GS3 - Carbon emissions, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Environmental Action, Government Policies and Interventions for Development, Important Aspects of Governance,

(Source: Indian Express,The Hindu, 22/11/2023 )

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Why in the news?

• UNCCC COP28 and CMA5 of the Paris Agreement will take place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• United Nations’ latest Emission Gap report 2023, titled “Broken Record: Temperatures hit new highs” has been released.
• Studies reveal that average global temperatures already exceeded the pre-industrial baseline by more than 2 degrees Celsius for the first time on November 17, 2023.

Alarming Observations of the report:

• Temperature Increase in 2022
  • 86 days in 2022 exceeded 1.5°C due to record greenhouse gas emissions.
• Progress after Paris Agreement
  • ​Emissions were required to fall by 28% for the 2 degrees pathway and 42% for 1.5 degrees by 2030, but the expected increase is 3%.
• Historical Emission Inequality
  • U.S. (4% world population) contributed 17% to global warming (1850-2021); India (18% world population) contributed 5%.
  • Top 10% income (48% emissions) vs. bottom 50% of world population (12% emissions).
• Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  • ​Global GHG emissions rose 1.2% (2021-2022) to a record 57.4 GtCO2e.
  • China, U.S., and India emissions increased; EU, Russia, and Brazil decreased slightly.

• Covid-19 Impact
  • Covid-19 slowdown (2020) reduced emissions by 4.7% from 2019.
• Impact of Inaction Against Climate Change
  • 2023 is expected to be the hottest, surpassing 2016.
  • Monthly temperature records set, with September as the hottest.
  • The World Meteorological Organization predicts a 1.5°C threshold breach in the next four years.

Lost Fight:

• Emissions Still Rising:
  • ​Latest Emissions Gap Report reveals emissions increased in 2022, exceeding 2019 levels by over a billion tonnes.
  • Only decline recorded was in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, that too only 4.7%,significantly lower than the required 9%.
  • Current climate actions forecast a mere 2% reduction (about a billion tonnes) by 2030 from 2019 levels.

• Financial constraint for Adaptation:
  • Rising temperatures compel countries to adapt to a warmer environment and confront climate change consequences.
  • Strategies include building sea walls, enhancing infrastructure resilience, early warning systems, and investments in resilient agriculture and water resources.
  • Rich countries pledged to double adaptation funding to $40 billion by 2025 at the Glasgow conference (2021), but not yet been achieved.
  • UN report reveals a nearly 15% decrease in available adaptation funds last year, less than one-tenth of the current demand.

• Empty Loss and Damage Fund:
  • ​Developing countries secured a loss and damage fund at the Sharm el-Shaikh conference last year.
  • This fund is currently empty, with minimal expected inflow this year.
  • Estimated annual need is $400 billion, highlighting a significant gap in financial resources.
• Money: Biggest Barrier:
  • ​Expectation that rich countries would readily allocate funds for climate action proved unrealistic.
  • Pledged US$ 100 billion annual flow (since 2009) is outdated, with current needs in tens of trillions yearly.
  • Escalating demands due to delays led to rapidly increasing financial requirements each year.

Report calls for “New Records in Climate action”:

• Urgent Actions for Climate Change:
  • ​Economy-Wide, Low-Carbon Development: Prioritize rapid, economy-wide transformations towards low-carbon development, with a particular emphasis on energy sectors.

• Address Fossil Fuels Impact:
  • ​Recognize the detrimental impact of coal, oil, and gas extraction on carbon budgets for 2°C and 1.5°C goals.
  • Cease approving large fossil fuel projects to ensure alignment with emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• Global Responsibility and Support:
  • High-emission countries must take more ambitious actions, assuming greater responsibility for emissions reduction.
  • Provide financial and technical support to developing nations to enable low-emission growth trajectories.
• Meeting Legitimate Development Needs:
  • Low- and middle-income countries, responsible for over two-thirds of global emissions, should pursue development with low-emission growth paths.
• 2030s Effort and Net-Zero Pledges:
  • Urgently implement the cuts outlined in the report to avoid a larger effort in the 2030s.
• Global Stocktake and COP28:
  • The first Global Stocktake at COP28 in Dubai will play a crucial role in shaping new climate pledges.
  • Use the Stocktake findings to inform and strengthen future commitments.
• Carbon Dioxide Removal and Technological Risks:
  • Explore carbon dioxide removal methods outlined in the report.
  • Acknowledge the risks associated with new removal technologies and work towards their development.
• Immediate Action and Records on Emissions Reduction:
  • Urgently shift from insufficient action to set “new records” on emissions reduction.
  • Recognize the time sensitivity and Initiate immediate actions to mitigate the impact of climate change and meet global climate goals.

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FAQs

Question: What is the Emission gap?

Question: What does COP28 mean?

Question: What were the outcomes of COP27?

MCQs

Question: The ‘Common Carbon Metric’, supported by UNEP, has been developed for (UPSC 2022)

(a) Assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world.

(b) Enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading.

(c) Enabling governments to assess the overall carbon footprint caused by their countries.

(d) Assessing the overall carbon footprint caused by the use of fossil fuels by the world in a unit of time.

Answer: (a) See the Explanation