Status of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

• G20 countries represent around 75% of global GHG emissions.
• The US, the UK and the EU are considered to be responsible for 50% of all emissions.
• India is responsible for only 4% of historical emissions.
• China, the world’s biggest emitter in the last 15 years, is responsible for 30% of global emissions every year.

Climate Summits of COP under UNFCCC

• COP – Conference of Parties, is the main decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• It brings together the 198 Parties (including the European Union) to negotiate and agree on how to tackle climate change, reduce emissions and limit global warming.
• Inaugural meeting in – Berlin, Germany, in 1995.
• Secretariat – Headquartered in Bonn.
• Presidency – It rotates among the 5 recognized UN regions - Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe and others.

Australia has never hosted a United Nations climate conference (COP).

Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund

• The Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund was first suggested by Vanuatu (on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States) in 1991.
• The proposal was rejected, and the issue of loss and damage was not mentioned when the text of the Framework Convention was adopted in 1992.
• Loss and damage first appeared in a negotiated outcome of the UN climate talks in 2007 as part of the Bali Action Plan.
• First Announced at – COP27 of UNFCCC, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
• Adopted at – CoP 28, UNFCCC, Dubai, UAE.
• It is a global financial package that rich nations, whose industrial growth has resulted in global warming, must pay to poor nations, who are facing the cascading effects of climate change.
• Initial funding – 475 million USD, maximum is pledged by European Union followed by UAE, US and Japan.
• Administration – World Bank will host the L&D facility as a financial intermediary fund (FIF) for an interim period of 4 years.
• Fund allocation – It is based on the available evidence and with a minimum percentage allocated to least developed countries and Small Island Developing States.

Global Stocktake (GST) Process

• About - It is a process for countries and stakeholders to see where they’re collectively making progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
• Established - under Article 14 of the Paris Agreement, 2015.
• The stocktake takes place every five years, with the first-ever stocktake concluded at COP28, Dubai, UAE.
• It is intended to inform the next round of climate action plans under the Paris Agreement (nationally determined contributions, or ‘NDCs’) to be put forward by 2025.

Emirates Declaration on Resilient Food Systems, Sustainable Agriculture, and Climate Action

• Aim – To promote food security while combatting climate change.
• Promoted by – The UAE
• Partner - Melinda Gates Foundation
• Signatories – 134 nations which make up 76% of food-based GHGs and produce 70% of food globally
• India refrained from signing as it conflicted with its longstanding policy of not committing agriculture, livestock and the millions of livelihoods that depend on them in climate action

Declaration on Climate and Health

• About - It is a non-binding declaration that calls for nations to reduce their greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in the health sector swiftly, sustainably, and substantially.
• Signatories – 144 countries till now.
• India have not signed the declaration citing the lack of practicality in curbing GHG use for cooling in the health sector.
• December 3 was celebrated as World Health Day.

The Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge

• Aim – To triple the installed renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030
• Doubling global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements to more than 4% by 2030
• It is not legally binding.
• Spearheaded by – EU, the US and the UAE
• Signatories – As many as 130 countries signed on to a pledge, with the China and India, absent from the list of signatories.
• China has the world’s largest installed renewable energy capacity followed by the United States, Brazil and India.

Global Cooling Pledge

• Aim – To commit the countries to reduce their cooling emissions by at least 68% by 2050 from 2022 levels and outlines several strategies to tackle them.
• Conventional cooling, such as air-conditioning is responsible for over 7% of global GHG emissions.
• Signatories - 66 countries, including the US and Canada..
• India has not signed the pledge as strict adherence to it could restrict access to affordable cooling and also requires substantial investments.
• India has its own Cooling Action Plan, announced in 2019 to reduce power consumption for cooling across sectors by 20-25% by 2038.

Podong Indigenous Peoples Initiative

• Launched in – 2023 at COP28 of UNFCCC in UAE
• Launched by
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature
  • International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity
  • IUCN Indigenous Peoples Organisations members.
• Aim – To provide funding directly to indigenous peoples, ensuring no less than 85% of funds reach indigenous territories and communities.

Climate Action for Methane emission

At COP28, Summit on Methane and Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases was convened by USA, China, and UAE to accelerate actions to cut methane and other non-CO2 GHGs.

• Global Methane Pledge – An initiative from COP26 Glasgow, to cut methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 from the 2020 levels.
• India is not a part of the Global Methane Pledge, is among the top 5 methane emitters globally.
• Methane Finance Sprint – It is a USD 1 billion by Governments and private sector for methane reduction, which is due to be administered by World Bank and the Global Methane Hub.
• An Eye on Methane is a report published by the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) which works under the UNEP.

Role of India in COP 28

• The actions of Bihar government in the field of afforestation, particularly through the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan (Rural Development Department), was praised by the international community at COP-28.
• Prime Minister of India offered to host the 33rd edition of the annual summit due in 2028 in India.
• Earlier, India had hosted the 8th edition in 2002.
• Launched 2 Initiative - Green Credit Initiative & Global River Cities Alliance

Green Credit Initiative

• Unveiled in 2023, by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

• An initiative within the Lifestyle for Environment or Life Movement.
• Working – Green credits will be assigned to specific environmental activities, and will be treated as tradable commodities.
• These credits will be able to be sold on domestic market platforms.
• Administration – By Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
• Priorities – The 2 main priorities include water conservation and afforestation.

Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA)

• Launched by - National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
• Aim - To scale up the concept of collaborative knowledge sharing to facilitate the transfer of good experiences.
• Members – 9 countries (Indian, Denmark, Cambodia, Japan, Bhutan, Australia, Netherlands, Egypt, and Ghana)

Other International Initiatives

• Waste to Zero Coalition – It was launched by UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment to decarbonizing the waste sector and accelerating the shift towards circular and regenerative modes of industry and production.
• The Buildings and Cement Breakthrough – It was launched by Canada and UAE to advance the decarbonisation of the construction sector by 2030.

Global Cooling Pledge

• Joint initiative- United Arab Emirates as host of COP28 and the UNEP-led ‘Cool Coalition’.
• It is the world's first collective focus on energy emissions from the cooling sector.
• Passive cooling strategies- It outlines actions such as insulation, natural shading, ventilation and reflective surfaces, higher energy efficiency standards and a rapid phase down of climate-warming hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants.
• Aim- It commits the countries to reduce their cooling emissions by at least 68% by 2050.
• Outcome- It could reduce the projected 2050 emissions from business-as-usual cooling by around 3.8 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.

Commitments pledged in Global Cooling Pledge

• Ratify Kigali Amendment by 2024.
• Support robust action through the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund for early action to reduce HFC consumption.
• Establish Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for air conditioning by 2030.
• Include cooling emissions in countries overall climate action plans, called Nationally Determined Contributions.
• Publish own national cooling action plans by 2026.
• Support the deployment of highly efficient air conditioning technologies.
• Establish national model building energy codes by 2030.
• Pursue the life cycle management of fluorocarbons through the Initiative on Fluorocarbons Life Cycle Management.
• Support initiatives such as United Nations Environment Programme-led Cool Coalition, to advance global cooperation and domestic actions.
• Support collaborative research, innovation, and deployment activities at the local and international level.

Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge

• Led by- US, European Union and UAE.
• Aim- To achieve net zero emission by mid-century (2050).
• Coal phase-out- The pledge calls for “the phase down of unabated coal power” and an end to the financing of new coal-fired power plants.
• It is seen as a crucial step to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as agreed in the Paris Agreement.
• Target-
  • To triple worldwide installed renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11,000 GW.
  • To double global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements to more than 4% by 2030.
• Signed- At COP 28 in Dubai.
• Major non-signatory countries- India and China
• According to IEA projections, the global share of renewables in power generation is anticipated to jump from 28% in 2021 to 80 % by 2050, while coal’s contribution will dwindle to 3%.
• Primary renewable energy sources with their share in global power generation-
  • Hydroelectric- 16.1 %
  • Wind- 5.6%
  • Solar-3.8%

CHAMP Pledge

The CHAMP was recently taken at the COP 28 of UNFCCC at Abu Dhabi.

• CHAMP – Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships
• CHAMP Pledge – It is a commitment taken by national governments on a new way of working in partnership with their subnational governments.
• It is a new way of approaching the development and implementation of their next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in time for COP30 in 2025.
• Established in – 2023
• Aim – To collectively pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and increase adaptation and resilience.
• Signatories – 71 countries, India is yet to sign this pledge.
• Coverage
  • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
  • National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)
  • National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)
  • Long Term Low-Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS)

Santiago Network

The draft text on the Santiago Network has been adopted by the Parties and sent to the Conference of the Parties (COP) of UNFCCC at COP28 in UAE.

• It is a collaborative framework established as part of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM) under the UNFCCC.
• Aim – To catalyze the technical assistance for reducing Loss & Damage in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change
• Santiago is the capital of Chile
• Genesis
  • At COP19, 2013 (Warsaw, Poland) – Proposal to establish
  • At COP25, 2019 (Madrid, Spain) – Establishment
  • At COP26, 2021 (Glassgow, UK) – Decision on functions
  • At COP27, 2022 (Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt) – Adopted terms of references & established advisory body
• Function – To contribute for the implementation of the functions of the Warsaw international mechanism.
• Hosts – At CoP 28, the United Nations for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and United Nations Office for Project Services have been selected as hosts.

ALTERRA

The United Arab Emirates recently announced the ALTERRA, a privately managed fund of USD 250 billion to catalyse private sector climate investments globally by 2030.

• ALTERRA – Alterra Mountain Company
• It is the World's largest private investment vehicle for Climate Action.
• It aims to revolutionise international climate finance by fostering a fairer system, with a focus on enhancing funding accessibility for the Global South.
• Established by – Lunate, an independent global investment manager, and is domiciled in the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
• The 4 verticals of the ALTERRA includes:
  • Energy Transition
  • Industrial Decarbonisation
  • Sustainable Living
  • Climate Technologies

G7 Climate Club

• Origin - It first arose at a Group of Seven (G7) summit 2022.
• Launched - It was formally launched at the CoP 28, Dubai, UAE.
• Led by – Germany and Chile.
• Members - 36 countries including Kenya, European Union and Switzerland.
• India is not a member of G7 Climate club.
• Aim - To ambitiously tackle industrial emissions.

Jal-Jivan-Hariyali Abhiyan

• It is an initiative of the Bihar government in order to protect water resources and plants.
• The Mission is being implemented in coordination with various departments and the Rural Development Department has been designated as the Nodal Department.

Venues for COP Summit under UNFCCC

• A proposal to host the COP must be approved by other signatories to the UNFCCC.
• Venues for future COP are only decided 2 years in advance.
  • COP 29 – Baku, Azerbaijan
  • COP 30 – Belem, Brazil

Coal Transition Accelerator

• Launched by - France, together with Canada, European Commission, Indonesia, Malaysia, Senegal, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, and several organizations including the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA). India is not a part of it.
• Aim - It aims to share expertise, design new policies including through best practices and lessons learned and unlock new sources of public and private financing to facilitate just transitions from coal to clean energy.

Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA)

• It is a coalition of national and subnational governments and organisations working to advance the transition from unabated coal power generation to clean energy.
• USA is a member while India and China are not members.

The Buildings and Cement Breakthrough

• Launched by - Canada and the United Arab Emirates
• Aim - To advance the decarbonisation of the construction sector by 2030.
• To focus the industry on speeding up decarbonization by sharing 3 best practices, working on policy and standards, and supporting new innovation in areas like carbon capture and storage or utilization, or circular economy.