The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recently called for more ambitious climate action plans from countries worldwide. Through their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Synthesis Report, they state that these measures are necessary to reach the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping the global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius, or ideally 1.5 degrees, by the end of the century.
This demand comes ahead of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26), scheduled from November 1st to 12th, 2021, in Glasgow, UK. The NDCs form a critical part of the Paris Agreement as they embody each country’s efforts to curb national emissions and fortify against the effects of climate change.
Key Aspects of the NDC Synthesis Report
This report covers data submitted up until December 31st, 2020. It incorporates new or updated NDCs from 75 Parties, representing approximately 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The United Kingdom and the European Union stand out as significant players who have increased their greenhouse gas reduction targets considerably. However, 16 of the world’s largest emitters haven’t substantially increased their emission reduction goals if at all.
More countries are reporting on mitigation benefits from their adaptation action and economic diversification plans. These include measures like climate-smart agriculture, adapting coastal ecosystems, increasing renewable energy sources, capture and storage of carbon dioxide, transport sector fuel switch and price reforms, and moving towards a circular economy for improved waste management.
The Need for Enhanced Climate Ambitions
The present climate ambition levels are unfortunately not aligning us with the Paris Agreement’s objectives. While most countries have individually heightened their ambition to reduce emissions, their combined impact will only achieve a 1% reduction by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. As per the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global emissions need to decrease by 45% to attain the 1.5-degree Celsius goal.
UNFCCC’s Role in Combating Climate Change
UNFCCC stands for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UNFCCC secretariat, also known as UN Climate Change, is the principal UN entity entrusted with supporting the global response to climate change threat. With almost universal membership (197 Parties), it’s the parent treaty of both the 2015 Paris Agreement and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The ultimate objective of these agreements is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that prevents dangerous human interference with the climate system, allowing ecosystems to adapt naturally and sustainable development to ensue.
The Paris Agreement and Its Aims
The Paris Agreement, also known as the Conference of Parties 21 or COP 21, is an environmental accord adopted in 2015 aiming to address climate change and its negative impacts. It replaced the earlier Kyoto Protocol. Its objectives include reducing global GHG emissions to limit this century’s global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, and making efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100.
In addition, the Agreement seeks to address the financial losses vulnerable countries face from extreme weather and other repercussions of climate change. It aims to provide financial assistance to less endowed and more vulnerable nations, enabling them to adapt to climate change and transition to clean energy. However, this section of the deal has been rendered non-legally binding for developed countries.
India’s Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation
India reaffirmed its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) commitments to the Paris Agreement. By 2030, India plans to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by about a third and have 40% of its electricity capacity installed from non-fossil fuel sources. Additionally, it aims to create an extra carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover.
The Way Forward
Participating nations will get more time to review and revise their NDCs. These will be compiled in a final synthesis report before COP 26. Adequate support for climate action, especially in terms of resources and access to greener technologies, needs to be prioritized and addressed with urgency to enable the deep transformation that’s necessary.
