CLIMATE CHANGE: A PERSPECTIVE FROM INDIA
initiatives are to be facilitated by cooperation between developed and developing countries in the fields of technology transfer and financial support.
As the dust settles on the Paris accord, the latest in the series of sustained efforts in building a global consensus for tackling climate change, it is time to reflect on the hard realities of the agreement.
The key elements are, firstly, to keep the increase in global temp to well below 2°C, with an aspirational target of not above 1.5° C.
Secondly, the countries submitted their voluntary pledges to reduce emissions with further reductions in 2020. The agreement also incorporates a regular five year review of these targets from 2023 onwards. Thirdly, the developed countries are supposed to
provide the developing countries with $100 billion per year till 2025 which will be subsequently increased.
For the first time, the deal also recognizes the role of non-party stakeholders, such as civil society, the private sector, financial institutions and also sub-national authorities to support efforts towards mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
However, the agreement also faces criticism for its inherent weaknesses. The contentious issues, namely, questions regarding the responsibility of bearing the burden of emission reduction, the required quantum of emission reductions, and the absence of a legal framework for enforcement of the reduction targets continue to persist even after years of negotiations. For instance, there are
22 | The Parliamentarian | 2016: Issue One
wide spread apprehensions that the intended target to limit temperature increase to 1.5°C would be hard to achieve given the gap in the mitigation ambition contained in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions of the member countries. Further, with a formal stock-taking mandated only in 2023, our current emission rate could take us way beyond the agreed aspirational warming limits.
Also, there are questions regarding the transparent monitoring system for the implementation of the INDCs. The agreement not only allows the individual countries to voluntarily provide the five yearly reports, but also does not impose any penalties for failing to do so. The compensation mechanisms for loss and irreparable damage have
not been factored in the agreement. There is also a lack of any credible and effective mechanism to facilitate technology transfer and financial support to be provided to the developing countries for meeting requisite mitigation and adaptation measures. The matter is left entirely to the voluntary discretion of the developed countries.
In recognition of the fact that historically, the responsibility for global warming lies with rich, industrialized countries, the UNFCCC had included the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities in its text document. This was to help the developing countries to fulfill their development commitments while at the same time restricting the emissions of the developed countries. However, the Paris Accord
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