Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
There is a general understanding that global action is necessary to address climate change. This is based on the awareness that global temperatures are rising, glaciers are melting and sea level is rising. The impact of global change across the world has been catastrophic, to include drought and flooding with millions of people being misplaced even as they are denied access to basic services (such as education and health), sink into hunger and poverty, and face expanding inequalities, stifled economic growth and conflict. This state of affairs has made it clear that governments must take urgent action to save lives and livelihood, and create a better blueprint for a sustainable future (Chander, 2018). This paper discusses Paris Accords and Kyoto Protocols as treaties that guide global efforts in fighting climate change. Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
Why have the nations of the world used treaties as the preferred method to address environmental concerns?
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International treaties are the preferred method for addressing environmental concerns because they prevent a legal framework specifically targeted at addressing concerns that transcend national boundaries. In fact, they are the apex mechanism for countries to make commitments to each other. In essence, treaties play a central role in global governance as they are able to produce effects in three ways. First, they produce effects through immediate socialization processes when governments negotiate the treaty language and terms used. Second, they allow for short-term normative processes at the time when the treaties are initially adopted. Third, they allow for long-term legal processes when the treaties are ratified and come into force. Still, it is important to note that the specific effects of any treaty are dependent on the negotiating process, intended outcomes, policy domain, and treaty design (Mayer, 2018).
What are the historical facts and circumstances that led to the signing of both treaties, Paris Accords and Kyoto Protocols. What are the requirements under the treaties for a signing nation to adhere to?
Through the Paris Accord and Kyoto Protocol, signatory countries agreed to reduce their greenhouse gasses. The two treaties have their origins as early as 1987 when the Montreal Protocol was ratified as an environmental accord targeted at stopping signatory countries from producing substances that damage the ozone layer. In 1992, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was formed and ratified by 197 countries as a global treaty explicitly addressing climate change. It established an annual forum for discussing strategies for stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The UNFCC created the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and entered it into force in 2005 as the first legally binding climate treaty. The protocol established a system for monitoring developed countries progress in reducing emissions to an average of 5% below the levels reported in 1990. Although the treaty required developed countries to reduce emission, it did not compel them to take action. The Paris Accord was created in 2015 as a global climate agreement requiring all countries to set emission-reduction pledges, and assess their progress every five years. The accord sought to reach global net-zero emissions in which the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the environment equals the amount of greenhouse gasses taken out of the environment (Mayer & Zahar, 2021). Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
How do the two treaties differ and how are they similar?
The two treaties (Kyoto Protocol and Paris Accord) were developed based on the understanding that climate change is a clear and present danger that will affect the world and its inhabitants for years to come. The two treaties were drafted to control greenhouse emissions. However, the manner in which they are implemented and to whom they are address is fundamentally different. The Kyoto Protocol was established in 1997 and lasted until 2012. It was targeted at industrialized nations considered as the primary emitters of greenhouse gases with developing nations being exempted from the protocol. It sought to reduce greenhouse gasses to 5% below levels reported in 1990. It was aimed at reducing emission of six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur hexafluoride, HFCs, PFCs and nitrous oxide (Jepsen et al., 2021).
On the other hand, Paris Accord was signed in 2016 and expected to achieve its goals between 2025 and 2030. It is targeted at getting both developing and developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions thereby preventing average global temperatures from rising more than 2oC above the pre-industrial levels. This would be achieved through reducing all anthropogenic greenhouse gasses (Jepsen et al., 2021).
Do the treaties set benchmarks for nations to meet to reduce CO2, and are these benchmarks realistically attainable?
The two treaties set benchmarks for nations to meet in reducing carbon dioxide. They both recognize the carbon dioxide is an anthropogenic greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to rising global temperatures. Results indicate that many countries that are signatory to the two treaties have been successful in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. This shows that the benchmarks are realistic (Sabel & Victor, 2022). Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
What is the enforcement mechanism under each treaty? What happens if a nation does not follow or adhere to each treaty?
The Kyoto Protocol has a legal compliance mechanism with an enforcement committee that determines the consequences of parties not meeting their commitments under the protocol. The enforcement committee is responsible for determining if a country is not in compliance with its emission targets, methodological and reporting requirements for greenhouse gas inventories, and eligibility requirements. The enforcement committee makes decisions after subjecting the non-compliant parties involved to a due process, with the decision made not subject to an appeal (Soytaş & Sari, 2019).
On the other hand, the Paris Accord does not have a strict enforcement mechanism. However, the countries meet regularly to share progress, renew their pledges, and encourage each other. In essence, the accord does not have formal accountability to address non-adherence. Nonetheless, countries that make pledges and meet them also receive incentives from other countries and partners (Soytaş & Sari, 2019). Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
What weaknesses do you see with enforcing the requirements of each treaty upon the member nations who are in noncompliance?
The main weakness of Kyoto Protocol is in deciding the greenhouse emission targets for the signatory countries. The protocol mainly targeted industrialized nations, thus presenting a deficient structure. In addition, the flexibility mechanism of emissions trading, joint implementation, and clean development mechanism, made it difficult to determine how much the members fulfil their obligations. These are significant loopholes. Besides that, the protocol could only bind the countries that ratified the treaty, while those that did not ratify the treaty, such as the USA, were not bound to any targets (Kellow, 2018).
The main weakness of Paris Accord is that it does not have an enforcement mechanism. There is no way to punish countries that do not honor the accord. For instance, Donald Trump as president of the USA left the Paris Accord without any repercussions, thus showing that countries would not face any punishments if they do not honor their commitments under the accord. They do not face any monetary fines or sanctions. In fact, the accord does not have a regulatory body to keep countries accountable and check if they honor their commitments (Kellow, 2018). Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
References
Chander, P. (2018). Game Theory and Climate Change. Columbia University Press.
Jepsen, H., Lundgren, M., Monheim, K., & Walker, H. (Eds.) (2021). Negotiating the Paris Agreement: The Insider Stories. Cambridge University Press.
Kellow, A. (2018). Negotiating Climate Change: A Forensic Analysis. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Mayer, B. (2018). The International Law on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.
Mayer, B., & Zahar, A. (Eds.) (2021). Debating Climate Law. Cambridge University Press.
Sabel, C., & Victor, D. (2022). Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World. Princeton University Press.
Soytaş, U., & Sari, R. (2019). Routledge Handbook of Energy Economics. Taylor & Francis.
Nation-states have turned to the establishment of treaties to address global environmental challenges and to establish international laws and regulations.
For this assignment, you will examine the method that nation-states have undertaken to address the global issue of climate change. The global community has come together and established a means to curb the impact of climate change through the creation of a series of treaties, Paris and Kyoto, that establish standards for the reduction of CO2 on a global basis. Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion
Focus your assignment on the following:
Why have the nations of the world used treaties as the preferred method to address environmental concerns?
What are the historical facts and circumstances that led to the signing of both treaties, Paris Accords and Kyoto Protocols
What are the requirements under the treaties for a signing nation to adhere to?
How do the two treaties differ and how are they similar?
Do the treaties set benchmarks for nations to meet to reduce CO2, and are these benchmarks realistically attainable?
What is the enforcement mechanism under each treaty?
What happens if a nation does not follow or adhere to each treaty?
What weaknesses do you see with enforcing the requirements of each treaty upon the member nations who are in noncompliance? Global Issues of Climate Change Discussion