United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
UNFCCC was an outcome of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992). The objective of the convention is “to achieve, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”.
Conference of Parties: Article 7.2 of the convention defines the COP as the “supreme body” of the Convention, as it is its highest decision-making authority. The climate change process revolves around the annual sessions of the COP.
Important Outcomes of UNFCCC CoP
Kyoto Protocol (CoP 3, 1997)
The Kyoto protocol is an international agreement linked to the UNFCCC, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets by way of three flexibility mechanisms. It was adopted by number of countries in 1997 which required developed countries and economies in transition (as listed in Annex B of the protocol) to reduce their GHG emissions by an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels. India accepted the Kyoto Protocol on 26th August 2002 but as stated earlier the contribution is non-binding.
Important concepts like Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation and International Emission Trading are related to Kyoto Protocol.
Paris Climate Agreement (CoP 21, 2015)
It is an historic agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. Essential elements of the agreements include long-term temperature goal, global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation through nationally determined contributions (NDC), creating sinks and reservoirs, etc.
Important concepts like National Determined Contributions, establishment of International Solar Alliance are linked with Paris Climate Agreement.
India and UNFCCC
India became a member of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 10th June 1992 and ratified it on 1st November 1993. As per the UNFCCC, developing nations such as India are not required to bind to the Green House Gas (GHG) mitigation commitments because of their small GHG emissions and because of their low financial and technical capacities. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate change is the nodal agency for climate change issue in India and has constituted working groups on the UNFCCC.
