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Hot terms
..Earth Summit: Global
stocktaking meets. The first was held in 1972 in Stockholm. The second in 1992 in Rio de
Janeiro. This summit was particularly important because global conventions on climate
change, biological diversity, desertification, principles for sustainable forestry were
signed. The latest Earth Summit took place in Johannesburg this year.
..UNFCCC: The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change is the foundation of global efforts to combat global warming. It was opened
for signature at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
..CoP: The Conference
of Parties to the UNFCCC is an institution under the UNFCCC and comprises 180 member
states, which have ratified the convention. Annual meetings of the Conference of Parties
have been taking place since 1995.
..Kyoto Protocol: Was adopted
under UNFCCC in 1997. It laid down a timetable for industrialised countries to reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions. According to the protocol, industrialised countries have
to decrease their emissions by at least 5.2 per cent compared to 1990 emis-sion levels by
the 2008-2012 period. Kyoto Protocol was signed in the CoP in Kyoto, Japan.
For the Kyoto Protocol to come into force the following conditions have to be fulfilled:
- At least 55 countries should ratify it.
Within the countries that ratify the protocol, there must be enough
Annex I countries (developed countries), who together is accountable for more than 55% of
the emissions according to the 1990 levels.
Till now 94 countries, including India have ratified the Kyoto
Protocol, however in the second category, percentage of Annex I countries is 37.5%.
..G77: A group of 130 (currently)
member countries, which negotiate as a group for the developing countries. Venezuala is
the present head of this group.
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UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The Parties to this Convention
Acknowledging that change
in the Earth ’s climate and its adverse effects are a common concern of
humankind, ..Noting that the largest
share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse
gases has originated in developed countries,that per capita emissions in developing countries are still relatively low …Determined to protect the climate system for present and future
generations,
Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE
2:OBJECTIVE
The ultimate objective...stabilization
of greenhouse gas concentrations ...within a time-frame sufficient to ...enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable
manner
ARTICLE 3:PRINCIPLES
The Parties should protect the climate system...on the basis of equity and
in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities...developed country parties should take the lead in
combating climate change...take precautionary measures...lack of full scientific certainty...
not...a
reason for postponing...
ARTICLE 4:COMMITMENTS
Annex 1 countries should
]adopt national policies... corresponding
measures...by limiting its anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases...These policies and measures will demonstrate that developed
countries are taking the lead
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