Climate Diplomacy

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Light
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Policy Issues ◽  
The Core ◽  
Climate Stability ◽  
Current State ◽  
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities ◽  
Copenhagen Accord ◽  
Global Agreement

This chapter explores the ethical dimensions of diplomatic efforts to form a global agreement on climate change. It offers a brief historical background on the core multilateral climate negotiation body, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and highlights some contentious moral elements of these negotiations. In particular, it explores the complex ways in which the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” (CBDR) has driven debates on how burdens for mitigation, adaptation, and finance should be distributed between developed and developing countries. It then considers the transformation in these climate negotiations since 2009, including the move toward a bottom-up architecture as part from the Copenhagen Accord to the Paris Agreement. Finally, it assesses the current state of climate diplomacy in relation to broader diplomatic priorities, arguing that climate diplomacy must be elevated alongside other top-tier foreign policy issues today in order to eventually achieve some level of climate stability.

scholarly journals Reshaping the Global Climate Change Regime through the Paris Agreement

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Theodore Okonkwo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Kyoto Protocol ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Climate Regime ◽  
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities ◽  
Copenhagen Accord ◽  
International Diplomacy ◽  
Cursory Examination ◽  
Combat Climate Change

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change which aimed at halting climate change and limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, remains the most important piece of international diplomacy in years, since the Kyoto Protocol of 1992 and the Copenhagen Accord (which endorsed the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol) 2009. The signing of the Paris Agreement underlies the fact that climate change remains one of the greatest challenges of our time and calls for a strong political will to urgently combat climate change in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. This article looks at Paris Agreement’s resolve to peak global greenhouse-gas emissions as soon as possible and also undertakes a cursory examination of the global climate regime. The article also examines how the problem of climate change has altered since the 2009 Copenhagen Accord and concludes by emphasizing the need to take the Paris Agreement forward in spirit.

Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities: Did This Principle Ever Exist?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Armin Rosencranz ◽  
Kanika Jamwal
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Clean Development Mechanism ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Historical Responsibility ◽  
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities ◽  
Self Differentiation

This article argues that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s conception of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDRRC) was never effectively implemented through the Kyoto Protocol. The investments under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism suggest that CBDRRC has been used by developed countries to buy a “right to pollute”, i.e., maintaining or even increasing their greenhouse gas emissions, while investing in clean energy in developing nations, thus defeating the essence of CBDRRC as intended under the UNFCCC. Second, it points out that the Paris Agreement reflects a significant shift in the CBDRRC, both in terms of its textual understanding as well as its implementation. A qualifier, “in the light of national circumstances”, was added to the principle of CBDRRC in the Paris Agreement, allowing a form of voluntary self-differentiation. This qualifier diluted a top-down, objective analysis of States’ commitments. For several scholars, this shift has meant a softening of the principle, making the “differentiation” more dynamic and flexible. In the authors’ opinion, the qualifier is a fundamental modification of the principle to make it politically more palatable. It completely disregards the notion of historical responsibility for climate change, which was the cornerstone of CBDRRC as conceived under the UNFCCC. Therefore, rather than presenting a more flexible understanding of UNFCCC’s conception of CBDRRC, the Paris Agreement marks a total departure from it. Lacking an explicit redefinition of the principle of CBDRRC, it is misleading to contend that the Paris Agreement is still anchored in it.

Adaptation to Climate Change under Climate Change Treaties

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 158-167
Author(s):  
Agata Bator ◽  
Agnieszka Borek
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
International Level ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Adverse Impacts ◽  
Global Agreement ◽  
Local Levels ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Abstract On the ground that climate change poses a great threat to societies and economies, it became evident for policy makers that attention should be given to the problem of adaptation, i.e. adaptation measures should be undertaken to minimize the adverse impacts of climate change. As the debate on the adverse impacts of climate change advanced at international level, states are taking actions at national, regional and local levels. Along with the increase awareness regarding importance of adaptation, regulations designed to prepare states to strengthen their resilience to climate change, has been developed in climate change treaties. Paris Agreement seems to be the first global agreement which addresses adaptation as one of its key goals and links it with mitigation efforts. The purpose of this article is to discuss the most important regulations and programmes within the regime established by the Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement concerning adaptation to climate change.

scholarly journals Shifting Traction: Differential Treatment and Substantive and Procedural Regard in the International Climate Change Regime

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 427-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Huggins ◽  
Md Saiful Karim
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Differential Treatment ◽  
Cautionary Tale ◽  
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities ◽  
International Climate ◽  
Treaty Implementation ◽  
Robust Framework ◽  
International Climate Change

AbstractThe Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) signifies a shift in how the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) manifests in the international climate change regime. Unlike the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement does not enshrine differentiated substantive mitigation obligations for developed and developing countries. However, an increasingly proceduralized variant of the CBDR principle, which facilitates regard for the interests of developing countries with respect to treaty implementation yet does not guarantee favourable substantive outcomes for these states, is evident in the emerging regime. The experience of the International Maritime Organization’s climate change regime provides a cautionary tale with respect to procedurally oriented differentiation that is not reinforced by effective processes to ensure that developed states honour their finance and technology transfer commitments. Accordingly, this article posits that strong accountability mechanisms are required to transform opportunities for procedural differentiation in the Paris Agreement into a robust framework for procedural regard for the interests of developing states.

scholarly journals Problems and prospects of climatology development in Ukraine

2017 ◽  
pp. 26-33
Author(s):  
V. Balabukh ◽  
V. Khokhlov
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Information System ◽  
State Policy ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Monitoring Systems ◽  
Climate Services ◽  
Current State ◽  
Adaptation And Mitigation

 The article analyzes the current state of climatology in Ukraine, the problems and prospects for its development. It is shown that although Ukraine the signed the Paris Agreement and this fact is very important for the development of modern climatology, Ukraine's state policy on climate change has a fragmented character and is currently considered exclusively as a component of environmental policy. The lack of systems approach to the problem of climate change makes it impossible to make management decisions on actions for climate change adaptation and mitigation at the scale of whole economy of Ukraine. At the same time, the new tasks, which are due to the expediency of ratification by Ukraine of the Paris Agreement and the further implementation of its provisions, require the development of a coherent and consistent state policy on climate change. The main scientific directions of the development of climate services in Ukraine are presented in accordance with the Global Framework for Climate Services. The main tasks for each element of climate services – a platform for interaction with users, an information system for climate services, observing and monitoring systems, capacity development – are outlined for Ukraine, problems are indicated and prospective directions of development are proposed.

An Aretaic Jurisprudence Approach to the Character of the Secretary-General of the United Nations as a Norm Entrepreneur to Save the Earth from the Adverse Impact of Climate Change

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-46
Author(s):  
Ratna Juwita
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Will ◽  
Member States ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Virtuous Character ◽  
Combat Climate Change ◽  
Norm Entrepreneur

Abstract In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted to strengthen the legal continuum to combat climate change. The Secretary-General as the chief administrative, world premier diplomat and norm entrepreneur of the UN has to diplomatically persuade all member States to ratify the international legal instruments. This research suggests that the Secretary-General must possess virtuous character in order to carry on the mandate of the UN Charter, especially as a norm entrepreneur to address the issue of climate change. Aretaic jurisprudence approach is used to interpret further the character that has to be possessed by the Secretary-General. Based on the Aristotelian virtues as the core philosophy of aretaic jurisprudence, the Secretary-General has to possess the virtues of courage and temperance. In the fight against climate change, a virtuous Secretary-General will play the pivotal role as a norm entrepreneur in inviting and persuading all member States to cooperate in unity.

7. Politics of climate change

2021 ◽  
pp. 106-121
Author(s):  
Mark Maslin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Global Temperature ◽  
Climate Change Negotiations ◽  
United Nations Framework Convention ◽  
Copenhagen Accord ◽  
History Of ◽  
Global Carbon

‘Politics of climate change’ begins by looking at the history of the climate change negotiations, considering key milestones such as the Kyoto Protocol, the Copenhagen Accord, and the Paris Agreement. At the Paris climate meeting in 2015, world leaders agreed that global temperature increase should be kept below 2°C, with an aspirational target of 1.5°C. Despite this agreement, global carbon emissions have continued to rise every year. There are potential flaws in the approach of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We should note the various carbon trading schemes and the UN’s REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) programme, which has been subsequently refined as REDD+. What needs to be achieved politically if climate change is to be mitigated?

Differentiation in the Paris Agreement

Climate Law ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 58-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Voigt ◽  
Felipe Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
The State ◽  
Global Response ◽  
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities

The need for equitable effort-sharing lies at the heart of the global response to climate change. Yet, until the very moment of the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the question of differentiation between the state parties remained controversial. This article seeks to examine the contemporary understanding of the concept of differentiation, as finally reflected in the Paris Agreement, and to track the concept’s negotiation history leading up to the Agreement. The authors argue that differentiation between parties in the Paris Agreement is nuanced, balancing different considerations for each of the Agreement’s elements. Rather than taking a non-differentiated or purely self-differentiated approach, as expected by some, the Agreement sets out the opposite: it allows for differentiation along a much broader set of parameters, in a manner that allows for more diversity and dynamism, while building on the normative legacy of the Convention. The article analyses differentiation as reflected in the Agreement in three different, but interconnected ways: First, on a principled basis, reflecting common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances; second, on the basis of the legal content of various provisions of the Agreement, in particular on mitigation, finance, and transparency; and third, on the basis of the parameters of progression and highest possible ambition, which represent new and dynamic aspects of differentiation. By doing so, the Agreement enhances differentiation to an unparalleled extent.1

The World Is Open to Climate Change Litigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 83-84
Author(s):  
Francesco Sindico
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Legal Regime ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
The Core ◽  
Climate Change Policies ◽  
International Economic Relations ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

There is no doubt that the discourse around climate change has matured over the years and has become one of the central features of international relations. We all know of the international legal regime that has developed to deal with climate change, starting from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and finishing with the Paris Agreement. Climate change is also either at the core or on the fringes of many other international debates, from international security to international economic relations. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a (yet again) stark warning alerting to the risks of not moving towards a 1.5 degrees goal, rather than a 2.0 degrees as the Paris Agreement seems to be suggesting. The truth is that the trend countries are moving toward with their pledges in their nationally determined contributions is not going to meet the 2.0 objective, let alone the 1.5 degrees objective. Against this background, it is not surprising that sectors of society interested in pursuing stronger climate change policies have explored multiple governance routes to take forward their agenda. This has led to the emergence of a polycentric and multilevel governance in the field of climate change. It is within this greater picture that climate change litigation has become a key facet in the fight against climate change.

scholarly journals Can the Paris Agreement Help Climate Change Litigation and Vice Versa?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lennart Wegener
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Dynamic Interaction ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Global Issues ◽  
The Core ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
The Law ◽  
The One ◽  
Different Levels

AbstractDomestic climate change litigation is prospering across the globe to the extent of becoming a transnational phenomenon of growing importance. At the international level the Paris Agreement, although still in its infancy, has been established as the core element of the climate change governance framework. This article explores the still opaque relationship between domestic climate change litigation and the Paris Agreement. It is argued that dynamic interaction between domestic litigation and the Paris Agreement may improve the overall efficacy of both regimes. On the one hand, an examination of the Paris Agreement's architecture and provisions reveals pathways that are already being used or can be explored further in litigation. On the other hand, litigation can assist and complement the Paris Agreement with regard to its implementation and progress towards its overall goals. The result may deliver more than a multi-level perspective on climate change law. As it captures the law in action on different levels, the proposed ‘cross-level’ approach has due regard to the implications of the mutual supportiveness or complementarity of legal tools. It also thereby responds to the concern of whether the law can be of significant benefit in addressing complex global issues like climate change.

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