Climte Change Process

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE PROCESS AND THE CDM THE UNFCCC: - Climate change poses a serious threat to sustainable development, with adverse impacts expected on human health, food security, economic activity, the environment, water and other natural resources, as well as physical infrastructure. The international political response to climate change took shape in 1992 with the adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC sets out a framework for action aimed at stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) in order to avoid “dangerous anthropogenic (i.e., human beings activities related) interference” with the climate system. Controlled gases include methane, nitrous oxide and, in particular, carbon dioxide. The UNFCCC entered into force in March 1994, and now has 189 parties. Kyoto Protocol: - In December 1997, delegates met in Kyoto, Japan, and adopted the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC that commits developed countries and countries with economies in transition (Annex I parties) to achieve quantified emissions reduction targets. These countries agreed to reduce their overall emissions of six GHGs by an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 (the first commitment period), with specific targets varying from country to country. The Kyoto Protocol also establishes three flexible mechanisms to assist the parties in meeting their national targets cost-effectively: i)an emissions trading system; ii)joint implementation (JI); and the iii)Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows Annex I parties to invest in project activities in non-Annex I countries and to use the certified emission reductions (CERs) accrued from the year 2000 onwards to comply with their commitments during the first commitment period. The Kyoto Protocol entered into force in February 2005, and now has 164 parties. Marrakesh Accords:- In late 2001, at the seventh Conference of the Parties (COP 7) in Marrakesh, Morocco, delegates reached agreement on the Marrakesh Accords – a package of draft decisions, including on many details of the flexible mechanisms, reporting and methodologies, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), and compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, to be adopted by parties at the first Conference of the Parties acting as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP). Delegates built on the Marrakesh Accords at COP 8 and COP 9, elaborating on rules and procedures for the CDM Executive Board (CDM EB), and on modalities and procedures for afforestation and reforestation (A&R) project activities under the CDM. Parties also discussed how to integrate the findings contained in the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) into the work of the UNFCCC, and agreed on two new agenda items concerned with adaptation and mitigation. 

 Questions: 

1) When UNFCCC is started ? Ans : ___________________________________________ 

2) When Kyoto Protocol was signed? Ans : _____________________________________ 

3) UNFCCC aims at what ? Ans : ______________________________________________ 

4) Which gases are known as GHGs? Ans : ______________________________________ 

5) GHGs are generated because of whose activities? Ans :_________________________(anthropogenic) 

6) In UNFCCC how many countries/parties are members? Ans : ____________________ 

7) Developed countries and countries with economies in transition (Annex I countries) agreed to reduce the six GHGs to an average of __________% below of 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. Ans: ___________ 

 8) What are the three flexible mechanisms established in Kyoto Protocol? Ans : 1)____________________________ 2)__________________________ 3) ________________