MEVE 011: Unit 16 – Climate Change Policy
UNIT 16: CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY
16.1 Introduction
Climate change is not just an
environmental issue — it is deeply intertwined with economics, development,
health, agriculture, and geopolitics. Therefore, effective and inclusive
policy-making is crucial in combating its adverse impacts. Over the past few
decades, the global community has recognized the urgency of coordinated climate
action, leading to the creation of various international agreements, national
frameworks, and local action plans. This unit traces the historical evolution
of climate policies at global and national levels, including India’s
contributions and strategies.
16.2 Objectives
This unit aims to help learners:
- Understand the historical
development of global climate change policy.
- Learn about key international
agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.
- Examine India’s national and
state-level strategies and their implementation.
- Analyze the challenges and
achievements in policy execution at various levels.
16.3 History of
Climate Change Debate
The climate change policy discourse
evolved in five key phases:
16.3.1 First
Phase: The Emergence of Scientific Consensus
This phase began in the 1950s and
1960s, when scientists started identifying increasing atmospheric CO₂ levels.
The 1979 World Climate Conference laid the foundation for treating
climate change as a global concern. Scientific consensus emerged gradually
through reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
which provided robust evidence of human-induced global warming.
16.3.2 Second
Phase: Agenda Setting
By the late 1980s, the issue gained
political momentum. The UN General Assembly adopted resolutions on
climate change, and the IPCC’s First Assessment Report (1990) catalyzed
international discussions. The focus shifted from science to negotiation and
policy.
16.3.3 Third
Phase: Early International Responses
In 1992, the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed during the Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It established a global platform for negotiations and
committed nations to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations.
16.3.4 Fourth
Phase: Negotiation of the FCCC
The UNFCCC came into force in 1994,
and annual Conferences of Parties (COPs) were initiated. Countries
started working together on long-term climate policy frameworks, with growing
calls for binding commitments.
16.3.5 Fifth
Phase: Post-Rio Developments
The Kyoto Protocol (1997) and Paris
Agreement (2015) emerged from ongoing negotiations, reflecting the shift
from voluntary actions to legally binding emission reduction commitments and
globally coordinated targets.
16.4 Kyoto
Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in
1997 and enforced in 2005, was the first binding international agreement where developed
countries committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It followed the
principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). India,
as a developing nation, was not obligated to cut emissions but received support
for clean development mechanisms (CDM).
However, the protocol faced
challenges, as major emitters like the USA opted out, and developing nations
did not have legally binding targets.
16.5 Copenhagen
Summit 2009
The Copenhagen Summit (COP15)
was a critical turning point in climate negotiations. Although it did not
result in a legally binding agreement, it laid the groundwork for future
collaboration.
16.5.1 India and
Copenhagen Summit
India actively participated in the
summit, advocating for the protection of developing nations’ interests and
resisting binding emission reduction targets.
16.5.2 India’s
Position
India emphasized:
- The right to development
- Climate justice
- Equity and historical
responsibility of developed countries
- Voluntary domestic actions to
mitigate emissions
16.5.3 Impact of
India’s Position on the Copenhagen Summit
India’s stand influenced the final
outcome — a political accord recognizing the 2°C temperature target but not
imposing legally binding targets on developing nations. It also opened space
for voluntary mitigation actions and climate financing mechanisms.
16.6 Paris
Agreement (2015)
The Paris Agreement, adopted at
COP21, marked a historic global consensus to limit global warming to well
below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Key features include:
- Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDCs)
by all countries.
- Emphasis on adaptation, mitigation,
climate finance, and capacity building.
- Support for loss and damage
due to climate change.
- A bottom-up approach where
each nation designs its own climate targets.
India committed to:
- Reducing emission intensity of
GDP by 33–35% by 2030 (from 2005 levels).
- Achieving about 40% cumulative
electric power from non-fossil fuel sources.
- Creating an additional carbon
sink through afforestation.
16.7 India’s
Response Framework
India’s approach to climate policy
balances developmental priorities with environmental responsibility.
It includes both national and state-level interventions, integrating climate
resilience into planning, energy, transport, and agriculture.
16.8 National
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
Launched in 2008, the NAPCC
comprises eight national missions focused on climate change mitigation
and adaptation:
- National Solar Mission
- National Mission for Enhanced
Energy Efficiency
- National Mission on Sustainable
Habitat
- National Water Mission
- National Mission for Sustaining
the Himalayan Ecosystem
- National Mission for a Green
India
- National Mission for Sustainable
Agriculture
- National Mission on Strategic
Knowledge for Climate Change
These missions integrate
sustainability into India's development path.
16.9 State
Governments’ Efforts: State Action Plans
States have developed State Action Plans
on Climate Change (SAPCCs) aligned with NAPCC. These are region-specific
strategies tailored to local vulnerabilities.
16.9.1 Tamil Nadu
- Focus on coastal vulnerability,
water management, and renewable energy.
- Urban resilience and disaster
preparedness are key components.
16.9.2 Delhi
- Air pollution control, green
transport policies, and solar energy promotion.
- Urban infrastructure adaptation
and community awareness programs.
16.9.3 Jharkhand
- Focus on water scarcity, forest
conservation, and sustainable agriculture.
- Engagement with tribal
communities and disaster risk reduction.
16.10 Assessment
of State Action Plans
Though most states have prepared
SAPCCs, challenges remain:
- Lack of adequate funding
- Limited inter-departmental
coordination
- Insufficient local stakeholder
participation
- Need for regular updating and
monitoring of action plans
However, SAPCCs are a significant
step toward decentralizing climate governance and creating locally relevant
solutions.
16.11 Let Us Sum
Up
Climate change policy has evolved
through decades of scientific understanding, global negotiations, and domestic
innovations. Agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement reflect the
world’s collective resolve to act. India has played a constructive role in
balancing development with sustainability, through initiatives like the NAPCC
and SAPCCs. Going forward, strong political will, financial support, public
engagement, and international cooperation will be key to effective climate
policy implementation.
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