VisionIAS - Video Classroom Lecture

Environment Class 01

OVERVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (05:12 PM)

CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING (05:17 PM)

UNFCC(UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE)
UNFCC took birth in the year 1992.
IPCC under the first assesment report emphasised the need to talk about climate.
Every year the members of the organizations meet for the first time in the year 1993.
In the year 1995, the Second assesment report emphasised actions.
A greenhouse gas is any gaseous compound in the atmosphere that is capable of absorbing infrared radiation, thereby trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere. By increasing the heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases are responsible for the greenhouse effect, which ultimately leads to global warming.
Greenhouse gases are water vapour,C02,Ch4(Methane),No2(Nitrox oxide),SF6(Sulphur hexafluoride),HFC,PFC.
These gases trap heat energy, But how much time is decided by the concept called Global warming potential (GWP).
GWP = Warming caused by one tonne of any greenhouse gas divided by the warming caused by one tonne of C02 * 100.
Here, Co2 is taken as the base because the Co2 is the dominant GHG.
CH4 (Methane) has a GWP of 21. i.e. CH4 is 21 times more powerful than CO2.
GWP of SF6 (Sulphur hexafluoride) is 12000 times of co2.Not only the potential but also the period(Number of years) these gases can stay in our atmosphere is quite long.
For example: Co2 has a life span of 120 years,SF6 for 50,000 years.

CARBON FOOTPRINT (05:55 PM)

Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.
RANKING PER CAPITA (2021 DATA)
China tops the list followed by the USA AND EU, and India ranks 4th with an average of 1.9 tonnes/year (But in percentage, we are far below the world average). The world's average is 4.1 tonnes/year.
Looking at the gravity of the situation the 2nd assesment year called for protocol.
Difference between Convention and protocol
Convention is simply the meeting on any issue and arrives at the conclusion and thereafter the actions on the conclusion are called protocol.
So to sum up Convention is discussion-oriented to identify the issue and protocol is action-oriented.
In 1997, In Kyoto, Japan. A protocol was drafted called as Kyoto Protocol.

KYOTO PROTOCOL (06:17 PM)

Kyoto Protocol drafted the principle called as Principle of Equity.
Equity is positive preferential bias (For example Reservation in India)
The principle of Equity here under the Kyoto Protocol is CBDR(Common but differential responsibility).
CBDR means responsibilities more on the polluter, i.e. based on the polluter must pay principle and so the developed world was made responsible for fixing up this issue. So officially the world is divided into two parts: Annex countries and Non-annex countries.
Annex countries are further divided into two: Annex 1 and Annex 2. They are responsible for bringing the solution to climate change. They need to ratify the protocol.
The Annex countries opposed this division and vouched for more reformative steps, why do only annexe countries have the responsibilities why not the non-annexe countries (when India and China are there in non-annexe countries).
So the Developed countries sat upon barring countries like Germany, and Switzerland who ratified.
So the target was set to reduce the GHG by just 5% of what they were emitting during 1990 levels and in the year 2011-12 IPCC assessment report 4t came out and said that though not ratified by the major polluters like the USA, so let bring the consensus among the people and bring agreement first (Mind it not protocol).
Meanwhile extension was brought by the Non-annex countries called Kyoto Protocol Commitment Period 2 (2023-2020), The target set was 18% of 1990 levels.
In the year 2015, COP 21 there was an agreement brought and the name of the agreement is called the Paris Agreement (Mind it, Not protocol again).
The Paris Agreement came up with the Intended Nationally determined contributions.
Again under the Kyoto Protocol, the flexible market mechanism was brought which comprised:
1)Joint Implementation
2)Clean development mechanism
3)Emission trading.

CASE STUDY (07:07 PM)

JOINT IMPLEMENTATION
It is something which is jointly implemented.
Countries A and B are there and Country Areleasing 100 tonnes of GHG. The Kyoto Protocol has given a target to cut down 30 tonnes of GHG
Country B releasing 70 tonnes and Kyoto's target is to cut down by 20 tonnes.
Now when both these countries come together as both are annex countries Country A (Denmark) came to Country B (Czech Republic) and helped Country b the updated technology to cut down the emissions and in return country A demanded 30 certificates each equivalent to 1 tonne of Co2.
Now together the requirement is 50 tonnes but Denmark with the help of the technology which helped the Czech Republic cut down the emissions, Denmark fulfilled its obligation to cut down the emissions back home.
These certificates are called Emission reduction units (ERU).
CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM (07:15 PM)
Agreement between Annexe and Non Annexe countries.
Country Sweden (Annexe country) approached India(Non-annexe Country)
In India Dahanu solar power plant developed a project report and called for venture capital that wants to establish a 1000 MW solar plant at Jaisalmer of Rajasthan.
Sweden accepted to finance but in return asked for the certificates given by UNFCC called CRU( Carbon reduction units). Here Sweden approached ADB and took a guarantee for the loan given to Dahanu.
EMISSION TRADING (07:24 PM)
Here for the first time carbon became a commodity. The commodification of carbon started.
Annexe countries under the Kyoto Protocol have the target. Say a country has energy credit meaning needs to cut 30 tonnes but has cut 35, 5 more tonnes, so the country can sell the extra 5 in the open market.
The Paris Agreement was ratified in 2016

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KYOTO PROTOCOL AND PARIS AGREEMENT (07:35 PM)