From COP 1 to COP 26

Vinay (2021RDZ8633)

Acronyms:
CFCs: Chlorofluorocarbon, CH4: Methane, CO2: Carbon Dioxide, COP: Conference of Parties, GDP: Gross
Domestic Product, GHG: Greenhouse Gases, INDC: Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, IPCC:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPR: Intellectual Property Rights, N2O: Nitrous Oxide,
UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, USA: United States of America, UV:
Ultra-Violet rays, WMO: World Meteorological Organization

1. From COP 1 to COP 26: 30 years of disappointments (From COP1 to COP26: Flashes of Brilliance;
Years of Disappointment - Geographical Magazine)

In the 1970s, scientific evidence emerged that CFCs were depleting the Earth's protective ozone layer in the
stratosphere, and the amount of UV light reaching our planet's surface was increasing. This led to the prompt
implementation of the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Montreal protocol was the first multilateral climate
agreement to phase down the consumption and production of nearly 100 different ozone depleting substances
(ODS). Then, in 1988, IPCC was established by WMO to provide scientific information to governments at all
levels to develop effective climate policies. In its first assessment report in 1990, IPCC warned the world that
emissions resulting from anthropogenic activities might trigger a cascade of unfortunate events, that led to
organization of one of the most important summit i.e. The Rio Earth Summit,1992.

The Rio Earth Summit, also known as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED), was held in Brazil in 1992. The purpose of this summit was to develop a roadmap for the
international action on environmental and sustainable development issues that would govern international
collaboration and policy in the 21st century. It led to the adoption of the first multilateral legal instrument on
Climate change, i.e., the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change. On 12th June 1992, 154
nations (current: 197 countries) signed the UNFCCC with the commitment to stabilize the atmospheric
concentrations of GHG emissions to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interferences with Earth's climate
system (What Is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change? | UNFCCC). It was decided
that parties to the conventions will meet annually from 1995 in COP, the highest decision-making body. The
purpose of the meeting is, a) to review the emission inventories and national communications submitted by
parties and the implementation of the Convention, and b) to adopt any other legal instruments and take
necessary decisions to support the effective implementation, including institutional and administrative
arrangements (Conference of the Parties (COP) | UNFCCC). In 1997, COP3, i.e., the Kyoto protocol, was the
first international treaty towards a gradual increase in global commitments to reduce six GHGs such as CO2,
CH4, and N2O. The Kyoto treaty is based on the “common but differentiated responsibilities” principle that
bifurcated the world into two sections: industrialized and non-industrialized countries.

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Fig. 1 Important decisions taken in COP 1 to COP 26 (COP1 to COP26 - Find All the Information & News
about COP From COP1- COP26)
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After meticulous diplomatic efforts of 8 years, in 2005, the first commitment period of the Kyoto protocol
was implemented. During the first commitment period, 37 industrialized nations plus European Union agreed
to reduce their emissions by an average of five percent compared with 1990 levels. The parties successfully
reduced CO2 emissions by 12.5%, which is beyond the target of 5.2%.

Moreover, to discourage emissions in energy-intensive industries, the European Union established the first
carbon market known as European Emissions Trading. The projected statistics portray the Kyoto Protocol as
a tremendous climate change success and a vital contribution to environmental sustainability. However, a
critical analysis indicated it to be a global warming failure. Since 1990, the world’s CO2 emissions have
increased by 51%. The protocol was hopeless from its inception because China, the world’s leading emitter
of GHG emissions, was not bound by the protocol, and the USA, the world’s second-largest emitter, didn’t
sign the agreement. Both these countries together emitted 42% of the world’s CO2 emission. Till 2008, from
Montreal to Nairobi, from Bali to Poznan, the climate merry-go-round went on with negligible progress. Many
COPs were concluded without making bold decisions because neither developed nations want to compromise
nor developing nations. In 2009, USA and China came together and willing to do their part. Everyone started
with sky-rocketing expectations with the Copenhagen accord for signing a new, more inclusive, and legally
binding international treaty. But it turned into a magnificent failure. The so-called Copenhagen Accord
allowed for the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol, but it contained little else. It wasn’t binding; many
developed nations opposed adopting stringent objectives for reducing emissions by 2020, and developing
nations claimed the right to expand their economies.

After a few more almost-empty-handed COPs (Cancun, Durban, Doha, Warsaw, and Lima), 194 countries
agreed to one text, i.e., Paris Agreement (COP 21) which was unanimously signed in 2015. The treaty's
objective was to keep the earth's mean temperature increase below 2°C above pre-industrial level and to carry
out efforts to reduce the increase in temperature increase even further to 1.5°C. This time the treaty was legally
binding, and it recommended voluntary emission reductions called Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions. No repercussions were suggested for nations that failed to meet their targets. There was a need
for a unanimous agreement to avoid catastrophes developed from GHG emissions. Individual countries assure
their reductions in GHG emissions; even if they are met, they would lead to a temperature rise of 3°C by the
end of the century.

The 26th session of the COP to the UNFCCC was held in Glasgow in 2021. IPCC assessment report-6 set the
agenda for COP 26, and the meeting was hyped as the last chance to save the planet. In COP26, it was decided
that parties will consider strengthening their 2030 targets by COP27. 140 countries announced their target
dates for bringing their emissions to be net-zero, previously in COP21, it was the reduction in emission
intensity of GDP. The potential outcome of COP 26 is the “Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda,” which is
approved by 42 countries to accelerate efforts to develop and deploy clean technologies and sustainable

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solutions such as road transport, clean power. It was decided to phase down coal consumption and abolish
inefficient subsidies on fossil fuels. The major setbacks were (i) targets set are conditional on availability of
financial support and voluntary with no mechanism or penalties, (ii) uncertainties arise due to a lack of explicit
details on actions to be performed to achieve net-zero, (iii) failure in acquiring climate finance from developed
countries, (iv) unequal distribution of carbon budgets.

2. Role of India in climate COPs: From COP 1 to COP 26

India signed the UNFCCC in 1992 and ratified the same in 1993. Since 1992, The rational view of India was
that emission reduction must be initiated by the developed nations and proposed a 20% reduction in CO2
emissions of industrialized nations by 2005. In COP3 (Kyoto Protocol,1997), India endorsed Kyoto as
Annexure-II nations with no responsibility for emission mitigations. In COP4 (Aires, 1998), India cleared its
stand to participate in the international efforts to improve the environment, provided measures should not
deprive its citizen from a dignified development. In COP8 (New Delhi, 2002), India emphasized interlinking
between sustainable development and climate change.

To effectively address Climate change along with human health, land degradation, poverty, and access to
water and food. India highlighted the need for financial resources for developing nations. In COP 13 (Bali
Summit, 2007), India underlined the poor performance of rich countries to reduce GHG emissions. It
demanded compensation for developing nations for afforestation drive, which was recognized by the key
decision-making body. In COP 17 (Durban, 2011), India suggested three agenda items: equity, unilateral
actions & technology-related IPRs, which were instrumental in introducing a second commitment period, the
Kyoto Protocol. In COP 21 (Paris agreement, 2015), India submitted their INDCs, that were (i) to generate
175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, (ii) to reduce emissions intensity per unit GDP by 33-35% of 2005
levels, and (iii) to enlarge forest cover to absorb 2.5 billion tonnes worth of carbon dioxide. India also
emphasized climate justice in terms of distributing the fair share of the carbon budget. However, its efforts to
include "differentiation" in the final agreed outcome, as well as its refusal to give up its coal production goals,
had already created skepticism about the possibility of reaching a strong, legally binding agreement.

In recent COP 26 (Glasgow summit, 2021), India stated five goals that are, (i) to meet its 50% of energy
requirements from renewable energy by 2030, (ii) to increase non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030,
(iii) to reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 percent by 2030, (iv) to achieve Net Zero
target by 2070, and (v) to reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards
till 2030 (National Statement by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at COP26 Summit in Glasgow). These
pledges represent India's unprecedented contribution to climate action. But to complete these goals, India
asked developed nations to give $1 trillion at the earliest as climate finance. In the dramatic 11th hour decision,
India, the US, and China changed the pledge's wording from “phase-out” coal to “phase-down” coal in the
climate pact.

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The following are the important initiatives are taken by India to prevent climate change (Meena et al., 2021):

a) National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), 2008: The NAPCC was launched in 2008,
encompasses the following eight missions: National Solar Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy
Efficiency, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission for
Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for Green India, National Mission for Sustainable
Agriculture, National Mission on Strategic Knowledge Platform for Climate Change
b) International Solar Alliance (ISA), 2015: The ISA, an alliance of 121 countries aims to utilize solar energy
potential by collaborating efforts by different nations lying partly or completely between the tropics in
solar technologies. This is the effort foreshadowed by India and France.
c) Different policies and yojanas such as National Biofuel Policy, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY),
Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lighting for All,
Ultra Mega solar parks, Renewable Policy Obligations, Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &)
Electric Vehicles (FAME), National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, Adoption of BS-VI and electric
vehicles.
d) Financial instruments: Polluter Pay Principle, Energy Saving Certificates, National Adaptation Fund for
Climate Change, Green Bond, Carbon tax, National Clean Energy Fund.
3. The failure of COPs: current state of climate change in brief (State of Climate in 2021: Extreme Events
and Major Impacts | World Meteorological Organization)

In 2020, GHGs concentration reached a new high, i.e., carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide levels were
413.2 ppm, 1889 ppb, and 333.2 ppb, respectively, 149% 262%, and 123% of pre-industrial (1750) levels.
The global mean temperature for 2021 (from January to September) was about 1.09°C above the 1850-1900
average. Between 1993 and 2002, the average global mean sea level rise was 2.1 mm per year, increasing by
a factor of two between the two decades to 4.4 mm per year between 2013 and 2021. This rise was primarily
attributed to the rapid ice mass depletion from glaciers. Extreme weather conditions and economic shocks
have increased in frequency and intensity over the previous ten years, which are frequently worsened by
climate change and are hitting those who are least capable of recuperate and adapting.

4. Status of India’s INDCs and way forward

In its biennial Update Report 3 to UNFCCC submitted in 2021, India reported a reduction of 24% in emission
intensity of GDP between 2005 and 2016. Therefore, India is on track to meet its voluntary declaration to
reduce the emission intensity by 20-25% from 2005 levels by 2020. The share of non-fossil sources in the
installed electricity generation capacity was 38.18% by November 2020. Therefore, India is on track with
these two goals addressed in Paris agreement. In contrast, India is struggling with the third goal of increasing
forest share. The forest and tree cover has increased from 8,02,088 km2 to 8,07,276 km2 from 2017 to 2019,

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resulting in the net change in the carbon stocks of 42.6 Mt or 156.2 MtCO2 equivalent (India. Biennial Update
Report (BUR). BUR3. | UNFCCC).
Still, there are many policies and programmes in India but are inadequate to limit temperature rise within the
limit. Rising threats due to climate change has intensified inequality, requiring a proactive approach to address
different threats in different regions. There is a need a) to address issues of the alteration in the cropping
pattern, b) to revive traditional decentralized water management systems and prevent exploitation of
groundwater resources, c) to promote community engagements in mitigation and adaptation measures such as
Joint Forest Management, d) to develop crop varieties (e.g., drought-tolerant species) and diversify rural
economy, e) to reduce post-harvest losses and improve agriculture value chain, f) to develop better forecasting
models to highlight challenges based on regional differences, g) to increase international partnership for
climate finances and technology, and h) to strictly enforce building codes and diversify energy sources with
better urban planning focussed on waste management and transportation.

References

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https://unfccc.int/documents/268470
Meena, P. L., Vinay, & Sehrawat, A. (2021). Sustainable Energy Policies of India to Address Air Pollution
and Climate Change. Energy, 169–181. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119741503.CH9
National Statement by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at COP26 Summit in Glasgow. Retrieved
January 29, 2022, from https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-
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+Summit+in+Glasgow
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Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/state-of-climate-2021-
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