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International Agreement for Climate Change Management, focusing on Kyoto and Paris Protocols

International Climate and Environmental Crises: A Look at Pivotal Global Agreements, Their Purposes, Prospects, and Obstacles

International Agreement on Climate Change: Exploration of Kyoto and Paris Protocols
International Agreement on Climate Change: Exploration of Kyoto and Paris Protocols

International Agreement for Climate Change Management, focusing on Kyoto and Paris Protocols

The world's approach to tackling climate change has undergone a significant transformation, with the Paris Agreement serving as a pivotal milestone in this journey. Adopted in December 2015 and entering into force in November 2016, the Paris Agreement represents a collective commitment by 195 countries to limit global warming to 1.5°C, or at least 2°C, above pre-industrial levels [1][2].

From Kyoto to Paris: A Shift in Approach

The Paris Agreement marks a departure from the more rigid, developed-country-focused framework of the Kyoto Protocol, which was adopted in 1997 and entered into force in 2005. While the Kyoto Protocol had 192 signatory states, the United States did not ratify it [3].

| Aspect | Kyoto Protocol | Paris Agreement | |-------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------| | Emission targets | Legally binding targets only for developed countries (Annex I), focused on 2008-2012 and 2013-2020 periods. | All countries set voluntary but nationally determined targets updated every 5 years. | | Scope | Focused mainly on developed countries' emissions. | Includes all countries, reflecting evolving economic realities. | | Financial commitments | Industrialized countries pledged financial support but with limited mechanisms. | Stronger emphasis on funding for adaptation, mitigation, and loss/damage, with established finance mechanisms, though funding gaps remain. | | Flexibility and ambition | Fixed targets, limited flexibility. | Dynamic, encouraging increasing ambition over time. |

The Paris Agreement: Key Elements

The Paris Agreement's universal participation, regular reporting and transparency, adaptation and resilience, and loss and damage mechanisms set it apart from its predecessor.

  • Universal participation: All signatories must submit and update Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) outlining emission reduction plans.
  • Regular reporting and transparency: Countries report progress and greenhouse gas inventories to build mutual trust.
  • Adaptation and resilience: Enhancing resilience to climate impacts through national adaptation plans, especially for vulnerable countries.
  • Loss and damage: A dedicated fund established at COP27 addresses climate-related losses and damages, though it remains underfunded [2][4][5].
  • Finance and technology transfer: Industrialized countries provide financial and technical support to developing nations to achieve mitigation and adaptation goals [2][5].

Progress and Challenges Ahead

Despite broad ratification, progress towards emission reduction targets remains mixed. Some countries, like China, claim to have met earlier targets early, while many EU members lag behind, and the U.S. has experienced policy fluctuations impacting overall progress [1][3].

The absence of adequate, comprehensive climate finance continues to undermine trust and global climate protection ambitions, with many new climate protection pledges from developing countries contingent upon adequate financial support [6]. The climate crisis is often overshadowed by geopolitics and multiple crises, with current climate protection efforts under existing NDCs likely to result in global warming of 2.7°C (2.2°C-3.4°C) [7].

The Future of Global Climate Policy

The Paris Agreement's universal nature and comprehensive approach to mitigation, adaptation, and finance mark a significant evolution from the Kyoto Protocol’s more rigid, developed-country-focused framework. However, the multilateral climate regime increasingly replaces binding commitments with voluntary ones, and international climate policy often plays a secondary role in other global governance forums.

Pressure for comprehensive reforms within the UNFCCC is growing, as civil society demands for COP majority decisions instead of consensus decisions, clear rules to avoid conflicts of interest, transparency, and participation opportunities for civil society actors and affected population groups drive the call for reforms within the UNFCCC [8].

[1] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/12/the-paris-agreement-explained/ [2] https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/what-is-the-paris-agreement [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/climate/what-the-paris-climate-agreement-does-and-does-not-do.html [4] https://www.un.org/development/desa/disasters/loss-and-damage/ [5] https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/finance [6] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-28/climate-finance-gap-will-hit-100-trillion-by-2050-report-says [7] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04846-x [8] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/civil-society-calls-for-reforms-within-un-climate-talks-2021-11-05/

  1. In contrast to the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement is less rigid and focuses on all countries, reflecting evolving economic realities, as it includes all countries in setting voluntary but nationally determined targets for climate-change mitigation, updated every five years.
  2. The Paris Agreement's elements like universal participation, regular reporting, transparency, adaptation and resilience mechanisms, and loss and damage mechanisms distinguish it from its predecessor, with countries submitting and updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) outlining their emission reduction plans and emphasizing on enhancing resilience, especially for vulnerable countries.
  3. Despite the Paris Agreement's broad ratification, progress towards the emission reduction targets remains mixed, with some countries meeting earlier targets ahead of schedule, while others lag behind, and the climate crisis often being overshadowed by geopolitics and multiple crises, leading to calls for comprehensive reforms within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

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