Download Climate change control measures range from the international scale

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Climate change control measures range from the international scale to small-scale measures taken at
home. The first of the international agreements was Agenda 21, which began at the earth summit in Rio
de Janeiro in June 1992. Over 160 countries signed up to agenda 21.
Agenda 21 set specific objectives designed to make humans less destructive. These were;
 Industry must produce goods using as little energy as possible, recycling materials and using
renewable resources,
 Industry must protect air quality by cutting pollution and waste,
 Chemicals and toxic wastes should be dealt with carefully and appropriately,
 Developed countries should help developing countries by transferring “clean” technology and paying
a fair price for their goods.
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Agenda 21 set the stage for the biggest agreement to combat climate change yet, The Kyoto Protocol.
Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other
greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases. The
Kyoto Protocol now covers more than 160 countries globally and over 55% of global greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions. Over 100 governments agreed to set more specific targets for pollution mitigation and
proposed a scheme to enable governments to reach these targets.
Governments are separated into two general categories: developed countries (Annex 1) who have accepted
GHG emission reduction obligations; and developing countries (Non-Annex 1) that have no GHG emission
reduction obligations and must submit an annual greenhouse gas inventory. By 2008-2012, Annex 1 countries
have to reduce their GHG emissions by an average of 5% below their 1990 levels.
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The “pollution credit system” allows major carbon polluters to buy “carbon credits” from less polluting
countries. Each country has an annual CO2 limit which, if they exceed, they must do one of the
following;
 Pay a fine
 Pay for ways to reduce emissions (e.g. wind or solar power) in your own country,
 Buy “unused” pollution from a country not exceeding its limit.
 Pay for emission reducing projects in other countries.
Non-Annex 1 economies have no GHG emission restrictions, but when a GHG emission reduction project
(“GHG Project”) is implemented, it will receive Carbon Credits, which can be sold to Annex 1 buyers.
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Advantages of this scheme are;
 The financial penalty is a dissuasive,
 The reward of being “a good global environmental citizen”
 Polluting countries have time to reduce emissions because they can buy credits in the meantime.
 It has a history of success, for example sulphur dioxide credits in the US reduced pollution by 50%
between 1991 and 1998.
Disadvantages;
 Polluting countries are able to continue polluting and it might even be cheaper for them to do so,
 There are practical problems e.g. they might run out of room to plant trees,
 Some countries are responsible for monitoring their own emissions and could easily chat the system
 The system aims to reduce emissions to 1990 levels, but this may not be appropriate to some
countries.
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The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to a set of a "common but
differentiated responsibilities." The parties agreed that
1. The largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse gases has originated in
developed countries;
2. Per capita emissions in developing countries are still relatively low;
3. The share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet their social and
development needs.
This means that developing countries such as China and India are exempt from the conditions of Kyoto,
despite the fact that some people argue that they could become two of the world’s largest polluters.
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If the Enforcement Branch determines that an Annex I country is not in compliance with its emissions
targets, then that country is required to make up the difference plus an additional 30 percent. In addition,
that country will be suspended from making transfers under an emissions trading program
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Supporters of the Kyoto Protocol claim that reducing these emissions is crucially important; carbon
dioxide is causing the earth's atmosphere to heat up.
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The two major countries currently opposed to the treaty are the United States and Australia. Sceptics see
Kyoto as a scheme to slow the growth of the world's industrial democracies or to transfer wealth to the
third world. Others argue the protocol does not go far enough to curb greenhouse emissions.
There is controversy surrounding the use of 1990 as a base year, as well as not using per capita emissions
as a basis. Countries had different achievements in energy efficiency in 1990 e.g. the former Soviet Union
had really bad emissions before their communist regime fell. Japan, however, as a big importer of natural
resources, had to improve its efficiency after the 1973 oil crisis and its emissions level in 1990 was better
than most developed countries.
There is an argument that the use of per capita emissions as a basis in the following Kyoto-type treaties
can reduce the sense of inequality among developed and developing countries alike, as it can reveal
inactivities and responsibilities among countries.
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Our Government is currently committed to:
• Further reductions in greenhouse gases, moving towards a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide
emissions below 1990 levels, through measures including energy efficiency and renewables. And they are
on track to reduce emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
• Encouraging recycling: they will enable at least 25 per cent of household waste to be recycled or
composted by 2005-06, with further improvements by 2008.
• Warm homes for all: they will eliminate fuel poverty in vulnerable households in England by 2010 in
line with Labour’s fuel poverty strategy objective.
They have already achieved the following:
• Played a key role in the international negotiations on climate change at Kyoto.
• Cleaning up our environment: beaches, rivers and drinking water are at their highest quality ever.
• Cleaner vehicles and fuels mean the number of days of poor air quality each year continues to fall.
• Labour is taking action to reduce waste and increase recycling, and to enable individual householders to
recycle their waste through doorstep recycling.