In recent news, India reaffirmed her commitment to the Paris Climate Accord, a pivotal moment that came just before the start of the Climate Ambition Summit, held on 12th December 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. The Summit marked the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, serving as an arena for both government and non-governmental leaders to showcase their commitment to the multilateral pact.
Climate Ambition Summit 2020: Objective, Scope & Hosts
The main objective of the Climate Ambition Summit 2020 was to formulate new, ambitious commitments under the three pillars of the Paris Agreement, namely mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Summit provided an essential platform for businesses, cities and other non-state actors to rally together, collaborate, support governments, and fast-track the systemic change required to cut emissions and boost resilience. The Summit was hosted by the United Nations, the United Kingdom and France, in alliance with Chile and Italy.
The History of Emissions
Carbon dioxide (CO2), the most plentiful greenhouse gas in our atmosphere, has been used as a measure of climate change. Its levels have fluctuated widely over the course of Earth’s long history, spanning 4.54 billion years. Historically, developed countries have been significant contributors to carbon emissions. The United States has the highest historical emissions at 25%, followed by the EU at 22%. China stands at 13%, while India has a mere carbon emission contribution of 3%.
Paris Climate Accord: Legal Status, Adoption, Goal, Objective
The Paris Climate Accord holds the legal status of an international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 countries at Conference of the Parties COP 21 in Paris in December 2015. The goal of the accord is to cap global warming at well below 2° Celsius, preferably limiting it to 1.5° Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. The agreement aims to achieve this long-term temperature goal by reaching a peak global emission of greenhouse gases as soon as possible and then steadily moving towards a climate-neutral world by mid-century.
Current Status of Global Emissions
Five years after the Paris Agreement, many states have put forward their national contributions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. However, these contributions are substantially inadequate to reach the below 2 degrees Celsius limit and are even further from the 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature limit specified in the Paris Agreement. Only a few nations, including India, Bhutan, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Gambia, are currently in compliance with the accord. Currently, China leads in greenhouse gas emissions at 30%, followed by the US at 13.5%, and the EU at 8.7%.
India and its Current Emissions
According to a report released by the United Nations earlier this year, India’s per capita emissions are 60% lower than the global average. In 2019, emission growth in the country was only 1.4%, significantly lower than its decade-long yearly average of 3.3%.
India’s Measures to Control Emissions
India has implemented several measures to curb emissions. These include Bharat Stage (BS) VI norms, which are emission control standards designed to check air pollution. The National Solar Mission and the National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy 2018 also form a significant part of India’s initiative to promote ecologically sustainable growth while addressing the country’s energy security. These initiatives have helped cut India’s CO2 emission by 164 million kg.
Challenges to Achieving Pledged Targets
While most nations have been slow to update their national contributions for reducing emissions for 2025-2030, a few have declared net-zero emission targets recently. These net-zero targets are subject to credibility, accountability, and fairness checks. Current national contributions are not on track with predictions made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for achieving a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The Way Forward
Achieving the long-term temperature goal requires nations to reach the peak of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to create a climate-neutral world by mid-century. It’s essential for all states to pledge actions that are credible, accountable, and fair. Credible short-term commitments with a clear path to medium-term decarbonization could be the more defensible choice for some nations, considering other challenges they face such as air pollution and development.