Episode 9: Climate Change Conference | UNFCCC | SDG Plus

Summary

Since 1995, the UNFCCC has held over 25 climate conferences, yet CO2 emissions continue to rise alarmingly. Despite warnings from climate scientists about the irreversible environmental damage caused by global temperature increases, the conferences have struggled to set effective targets. The Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement have had limited success, with voluntary targets and lack of enforcement hindering progress. The script emphasizes that real change relies on the commitment of elected leaders and the public, urging viewers to engage in the fight against climate change.

Takeaways

• ⏱️ Since 1995, the UNFCCC has held over 25 climate conferences, but CO2 emissions continue to rise alarmingly.
• 🌍 Climate change has resulted in 1.3 million deaths and economic damages of three trillion dollars.
• 🌡️ To prevent irreversible environmental damage, global warming must be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius at most.
• 🌱 Climate scientists recommend reducing CO2 emissions to 18 billion tons annually by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
• 📉 As of 2019, total CO2 emissions were at 43 billion tons, indicating a significant gap between current emissions and targets.
• 📉 Without policy changes, global temperatures could rise between 3.1 and 3.7 degrees by 2100.
• 🌐 If all countries meet their Paris Climate Agreement targets, temperatures will still rise between 2.6 and 3.2 degrees by 2100.
• 📜 The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement are the two major policies governing UN climate conferences, each with its limitations.
• 🔄 The Paris Agreement's voluntary and non-binding targets have led to a lack of commitment from many nations.
• 👥 Real change in climate action requires the involvement and pressure from the public on elected leaders.

Q & A

How many climate conferences have been conducted by the UNFCCC since 1995?

Since 1995, the UNFCCC has conducted over 25 climate conferences.

What has been the impact of climate change in terms of lives lost and economic damage as mentioned in the script?

Climate change has claimed 1.3 million lives and has caused economic damage amounting to three trillion dollars.

What is the significance of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius?

Limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius is crucial to prevent irreversible damage to the environment, including more droughts, floods, food shortages, and extreme weather events.

What are the targets set by climate scientists for CO2 emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by when?

Climate scientists have asked for a reduction of CO2 emissions to 18 billion tons a year by 2030 and for net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

What was the total CO2 emission in 2019 according to the script?

The total CO2 emissions in 2019 were 43 billion tons.

What is the expected global temperature rise by 2100 if no changes are made to current climate policies?

With no change to climate policies, the global temperature is expected to rise between 3.1 degrees and 3.7 degrees Celsius by 2100.

What is the expected global temperature rise by 2100 if all countries achieve their Paris Climate Agreement targets?

If all countries achieve their Paris Climate Agreement targets, the global temperature will still rise between 2.6 degrees and 3.2 degrees Celsius by 2100.

What was the main principle of the Kyoto Protocol introduced in 1997?

The main principle of the Kyoto Protocol was to set legally binding greenhouse gas reduction targets for developed countries, based on their historical accountability for cumulative greenhouse gas emissions.

How does the Paris Agreement differ from the Kyoto Protocol in terms of participation and target setting?

The Paris Agreement requires every UNFCCC country to set its own voluntary non-binding greenhouse gas reduction targets, with no deadlines, but with the expectation that each target should be more ambitious than the previous ones. This differs from the Kyoto Protocol which only involved developed countries and had legally binding targets.

Why have the UN's climate conferences been considered not fully effective in combating climate change?

The UN's climate conferences have been considered not fully effective due to issues like weak target setting and voluntary targets, which have resulted in a disparity between the recommendations of climate scientists and the targets set by these conferences.

What role do people and elected leaders play in bringing about real change in the fight against climate change according to the script?

According to the script, for real change to happen in the fight against climate change, it's up to the people to demand action and to their elected leaders to step up and implement effective climate policies.