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Flashcards in International Environmental Agreements Deck (17)
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1
Q

x4 international environmental agreements

A

Rio 1992

Kyoto 1997

Copenhagen 2009

Paris 2015

2
Q

Rio 1992: basic information

A

Rio 1992 (UN Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the ‘Earth Summit’)

172 countries represented

108 countries sent heads of government/heads of state

2400 representatives of NGOs attended

largest ever environmental conference held up to this point

3
Q

Rio 1992: main decisions

A

the Convention of Biological Diversity

the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC)

the Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests

the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development

Agenda 21 (UN programme of action from Rio)

4
Q

Rio 1992: strengths

A

an important step in the development of global environmental policy

paved the way for the adoption of legally binding targets at Kyoto

focus on sustainable development has led to a holistic approach to human rights, population control, poverty, gender inequality and the environment

allowed NGOs to be represented and influence the agenda on environmental protection

5
Q

Rio 1992: weaknesses

A

the agreements reached at Rio lacked ambition and were not legally binding

too many different positions made agreement difficult to reach

developed and developing states disagreed over the responsibility for tackling climate change

6
Q

Kyoto 1997: basic information

A

Kyoto 1997 (UN Climate Change Conference)

192 parties signed up to the Kyoto Protocol

83 countries ratified it in their own nation

the Protocol ran until 2012

in 2012, at the Doha Conference, the binding targets of the Protocol were extended beyond 2012 for 37 countries

7
Q

Kyoto 1997: main decisions

A

the Kyoto Protocol, under which developed countries agreed to cut emissions by at least 5.2% on 1990 levels between 2008–12

the EU was given a target of 8% and the USA 7%

Australia was allowed to exceed its 1990 level

flexibility mechanisms allowed states to engage in carbon trading to meet their targets

8
Q

Kyoto 1997: strengths

A

introduced the first legally binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

flexible targets and carbon trading made it easier for states to agree to binding targets

carbon trading promotes investment by richer countries in poorer ones

9
Q

Kyoto 1997: weaknesses

A

carbon trading is open to abuse and allows richer states to avoid reducing their emissions

the Protocol did not come into force until 2005 – when Russia ratified the treaty – because it required signatories to be responsible for at least 55% of 1990 emissions

cutting emissions by on average 5% is not enough to stop global warming, more needed to be done and the Kyoto Protocol was not enough

the USA, the largest producer of greenhouse gases at the time, withdrew from the Protocol in 2001

India and China did not sign the agreement, but are significant producers of greenhouse gases

excluding developing countries, which have become significant polluters, from binding targets has compromised the effectiveness of Kyoto

carbon dioxide levels are four times higher than they were in the 1990s, suggesting that the Protocol has been ineffective

10
Q

Copenhagen 2009: basic information

A

Copenhagen 2009 (UN Climate Change Conference)

163 countries participated

101 countries sent heads of government/heads of state, including President Obama and Premier Wei Jiaboa of China

resulted in the Copenhagen Accord, drafted by USA, China, India, Brazil and South Africa

11
Q

Copenhagen 2009: main decisions

A

to keep the rise in global temperature below 2°C above pre-industrial levels

developed countries to provide $30 billion (2010–12) in development aid to help poorer countries cut emissions and adapt to climate change

by 2020, developing countries to receive $100 billion a year in aid from richer countries, half from private sources

developed countries to submit plans for cutting emissions to the UN for inspection and monitoring

developed and emerging economies to submit to the UN reports on emissions for measurement and verification

12
Q

Copenhagen 2009: strengths

A

Copenhagen prepared the way for emission cuts

President Obama proposed to cut US emissions by 4% by 2020 on 1990 levels

China and other emerging economies committed themselves to cutting emissions, something which the Kyoto Protocol had not managed to achieve

13
Q

Copenhagen 2009: weaknesses

A

participants only required to take note of the Accord – no binding action to reduce emissions required

no date set for agreeing binding targets

the Accord is vague about where the developed countries will get the money for development aid and how it will be used by developing countries

no detail provided about the measurement and verification process for checking emissions

14
Q

Paris 2015: basic information

A

Paris 2015 (UN Climate Change Conference, also known as Conference of Parties 21 (COP21))

the 21st conference since Rio in 1992

195 countries represented

by April 2016, 174 countries had signed the Paris Agreement

15
Q

Paris 2015: main decisions

A

long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels

aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C to significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change

global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries

undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science

every country to submit five-year plans on how to cut greenhouse gas emissions

the Agreement will not come into force until signed by at least 55 countries that together produce at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions

16
Q

Paris 2015: strengths

A

first ever universal, legally binding climate-change deal

the participation of the USA and China in the conference helped states to reach an ambitious target

17
Q

Paris 2015: weaknesses

A

doubts over whether the USA will ratify the Agreement – President Trump indicated he would not and has since withdrawn from the Agreement

states can set their own targets for cutting emissions, which are likely to be lower than needed for keeping the rise in global temperatures to just 1.5°C

no enforcement mechanisms or penalties if states fail to take action