COP28

COP28

O4 December, 2023

Context:

COP 28 refers to the United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 30 November to 12 December 2023.

  • This conference calls for urgent action amid growing climate challenges.
  • With the participation of over 70,000 delegates, the conference aims to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions.
  • At the inaugural session of this conference, PM Modi proposed hosting COP-33, launched the "Green Credit" initiative, and introduced a $475 million loss and damage fund.

COP28

Related Facts:

  • COP28 is scheduled to be hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai in 2023.
  • The host country appoints a President, in this case, Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber, who will lead the negotiations and play a key role in the agreement.
  • Controversy has arisen over Dr. Sultan al-Jaber's role due to his position in the fossil fuel industry, raising concerns about impartiality.
  • COP 28 assumes greater importance due to heightened geopolitical tensions following the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia's ongoing military operation in Ukraine.
  • COP decisions are taken by consensus, making the negotiation process careful and emotionally charged.

Objective:

  • Detailing a loss and damage finance facility to help vulnerable communities cope with immediate climate impacts;
  • Moving towards a global goal on finance that would help finance developing countries' efforts to tackle climate change;
  • Accelerating both energy and proper transitions; Reducing the large-scale emissions gap.
  • To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Goals of Paris Agreement:

  • Keep global average temperature rise well below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
  • Adapt to climate change and build resilience.
  • Align finance flows towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.

Why COP 28 is important:

  • COP 28 is about implementing the agreement and raising ambition and action.
  • According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.
  • It is critical to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of this century and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, including more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves and increased rainfall.
  • COP 28 aims to identify global solutions to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, inform countries' preparedness for revised and more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (National Climate Plans) by 2025, and build on the green potential of climate change already underway. There is an opportunity to accelerate change and ultimately achieve goals.
  • Additionally, for the first time, a global stocktake will conclude at COP 28.

Global Stocktake:

  • The Global Stocktake is a process for countries and stakeholders to see where they are making progress – and where not – towards meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
  • The global stocktake has shown us that we are not on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The window for meaningful change is closing, and now is the time to act.
  • Governments will decide on a global stocktake at COP 28, which can be leveraged to step up ambition in the next round of climate action plans up to 2025.
  • The global stocktake showed us where progress is too slow. But it has also presented a huge range of tools and solutions put forward by countries.

India's strategic proposals at COP28:

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided new commitments to curb global warming in his COP-28 address.
  • PM Modi addressed various issues at the COP 28 summit and made some proposals, including:
  • India is proposed to host the 33rd edition of the COP in 2028.
  • Urges developed countries to eliminate carbon emissions before 2050.
  • “Green Credit Initiative”: PM Modi has announced the launch of Green Credit Initiative.
  • This initiative is a non-commercial effort to create a carbon sink that will promote future afforestation.
  • The proposal to host the COP requires approval from UNFCCC signatories and if accepted, it will be India's second hosting after 2002.
  • Modi criticizes the exploitation of nature by some people, which is impacting the entire world, especially the Global South.
  • This initiative aims to encourage voluntary environmental actions across all sectors.
  • Global Green Credit Scheme will help in providing economic credit to promote tree plantation on barren lands to rejuvenate the natural ecosystem.
  • Reiterates India's commitments from COP-26, including cutting emissions intensity and achieving net zero by 2070.
  • Welcomes the COP-28 approval of a Loss and Damage Fund with financial commitments of more than $500 million.
  • Called for the finalization of a new target on climate finance (NCQG), while praising the UAE's $30 billion Climate Investment Fund.
  • Underscored the commitments of developed countries to the GCF and the Adaptation Fund to eliminate carbon footprint by 2050.

COP 28 Loss and Damage Fund

  • On the opening day of COP28 in Dubai, a Loss and Damage Fund to assist vulnerable countries facing the impacts of climate change has been officially launched with an initial funding estimate of $475 million.
  • Announced during COP27, the fund has contributions from host UAE ($100 million), EU ($275 million), US ($17.5 million) and Japan ($10 million).
  • The Loss and Damage Fund aims to compensate countries facing climate crisis due to global warming caused by industrial development, including the ways in which lives, livelihoods, biodiversity and cultural traditions are being affected due to the changing climate.
  • IPCC's Adele Thomas says losses and damages include economic impacts such as infrastructure costs and non-economic impacts such as shock or community damage from cyclones.
  • Research shows that 55 vulnerable countries have lost $525 billion due to the climate crisis over the last 20 years, which is expected to rise to $580 billion annually by 2030.
  • The World Bank will initially oversee the fund, which will be financed by rich countries and some developing countries, the scale and replenishment cycle of which are not yet clear, but trillions of dollars are required.
  • Initially, developing countries were hesitant about the World Bank's participation, but they have accepted the arrangement.

About COP:

  • The COP is the highest decision-making authority of the UNFCCC.
  • The United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP) takes place every year, and is the world's only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change with almost full membership from every country in the world.
  • The COP meets in Bonn, the seat of the Secretariat, unless a party offers to host the session.
  • The President of the COP is generally selected from the following five UN regional groupings: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe and others.

Brief description of all previously held COPs:

  • 1995: COP1 (Berlin, Germany)
  • 1997: COP 3 (Kyoto Protocol)
  • It legally binds developed countries to emissions reduction targets.
  • 2002: COP 8 (New Delhi, India) Delhi Declaration.
  • The conference focused on the development needs of the poorest countries and the need for technology transfer to mitigate climate change.
  • 2007: COP13 (Bali, Indonesia)
  • 2010: COP 16 (Cancun)
  • The Green Climate Fund, the Technology Mechanism and the Cancún Adaptation Framework were established.
  • 2011: COP 17 (Durban)
  • 2015: COP21 (Paris)
  • Keeping global temperatures well below 2.0C above pre-industrial times and attempting to limit them even further to 1.5C.
  • For this, emphasis was laid on continuing funding of US$ 100 billion per year to rich countries even after the year 2020.
  • 2016: COP22 (Marrakesh)
  • 2017: COP23, Bonn (Germany)
  • In this conference, under the chairmanship of Donald Trump, America had announced withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
  • This was the first COP to be hosted by a small-island developing state, which was chaired by Fiji, but the conference was held in Bonn.
  • 2018: COP 24, Katowice (Poland)
  • In this conference, a "rule book" was finally issued to implement the Paris Agreement.
  • This rulebook covers actions to be taken in accordance with climate finance facilities and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
  • 2019: COP25, Madrid (Spain)
  • COP 26 was postponed in 2020 and was scheduled to be held in Glasgow, UK in November 2021.
  • COP27 was held in Egypt.

About UNFCCC:

  • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit and Rio Summit.
  • UNFCCC came into force on 21 March 1994 and has been ratified by 197 countries.
  • It is the core treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement. It is also the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
  • The UNFCCC Secretariat (UNCC) is the United Nations entity tasked with supporting the global response to the threat of climate change.
  • It is located in Bonn, Germany.
  • India is one of the few countries to have hosted the COPs of all three Rio conferences on climate change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
  • Objective:
  •  To control dangerous levels of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere so as to make ecosystems suitable for human adaptation and sustainable development.

India's key initiatives to address climate change risks:

  • The following strategic measures have been launched under “Panchamrit” at the COP 26 held in Glasgow, United Kingdom:
  • Reaching 500 GW non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
  • To achieve 50% of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030.
  • Reduction of one billion tonnes of total projected carbon emissions between now and 2030.
  • Reduction in carbon intensity of the economy by 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.
  • To achieve net zero emissions by 2070.

International Solar Alliance (ISA):

  •  The International Solar Alliance (ISA), which seeks to promote the installation of solar energy around the world, was launched at the 2015 Paris meeting.

LiFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) Mission:

  •  It is a global people's movement launched under the leadership of India to promote individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment.

Ban on use of fossil fuels:

  •  In 2021, the “phase-out” of coal was changed to “phase-down” by India.
  •  In 2022, India has campaigned to phase out all fossil fuels, not just coal.

Conclusion:

COP28 is being held at a time when the world needs to take urgent action on climate change. Temperature records continue to be broken, and we are experiencing severe wildfires, floods, storms and droughts. UN report says we are not doing enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. COP28 is providing an important opportunity to make the world more sustainable.

India can address climate challenges by ensuring a balanced and equitable approach to emissions reduction and sustainable development.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question

Q. Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference?