Global Action & Decarbonisation (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)): Revision Note

Global action on climate change

Importance of global action

• Climate change affects the entire planet

  • Therefore, coordinated global action is essential

• Actions by individual countries and states are insufficient to address the global nature of climate change

  • This means that international cooperation is necessary for effective climate action

State sovereignty and international cooperation

• State sovereignty: the principle that each country has the authority to govern itself without external interference

• Climate change crosses national borders, requiring countries to work together and often requiring countries to compromise some of their sovereignty

• International cooperation is achieved through negotiations, protocols, conventions and treaties

Key UN treaties and protocols

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 1992:

  • Established at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro

  • Framework for international efforts to address climate change

  • Encouraged developed countries to lead in reducing emissions and supporting developing countries

• Kyoto Protocol, 1997:

  • First major international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Set legally binding targets for developed countries to reduce emissions

• Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, 2012:

  • Extended the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012

  • Set new emission reduction targets for developed countries for 2013-2020

  • Encourages further international cooperation and support for developing countries on how to adapt to climate change

• Paris Agreement (2015):

  • Aim: limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C

  • Nearly all countries have committed to reducing their emissions

  • Countries submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) outlining their climate action plans

  • Set a mechanism for regular review and enhancement of NDCs every five years

International cooperation mechanisms

• Negotiations: countries discuss and agree on common goals, commitments and actions to tackle climate change

• Protocols and conventions: formal agreements that outline specific commitments and actions countries must take

• Sanctions: tools like cross-border carbon taxes can be used to encourage compliance and ensure countries adhere to climate policies

  • A cross-border carbon tax is a levy imposed on imported goods based on the carbon emissions produced during their manufacture

  • These taxes aims to equalise the cost of carbon between countries with different climate policies

  • They encourage global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and help reduce carbon leakage

Decarbonisation

What is decarbonisation?

• Reducing or ending the use of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) that emit carbon dioxide when burned

• Transitioning to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and geothermal energy

Carbon neutrality

• Achieving net-zero carbon emissions

• This means balancing the amount of emitted CO₂ with an equivalent amount of CO₂ removal

  • Methods to achieve this include:

    • Reducing emissions

    • Enhancing carbon sinks (e.g. forests)

    • Using technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS)

Targets for carbon neutrality

• Different countries have set varied dates for achieving carbon neutrality, for example:

  • UK: by 2050

  • China: by 2060

  • Germany: by 2045

• These targets are crucial for meeting global climate goals and are part of each country's NDC under the Paris Agreement

Steps towards decarbonisation

• Transitioning to renewable energy:

  • Solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy

• Energy efficiency:

  • Improving efficiency of energy and lowering energy waste in buildings, transportation and industry

• Electrification:

  • Using electricity (preferably from renewable sources) for heating, cooking and transportation

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):

  • Capture: capturing CO₂ emissions directly from sources like power plants and industrial processes

  • Transport: once captured, CO₂ is compressed and transported, typically via pipelines, to a storage site

  • Storage: CO₂ is injected deep underground, where it is securely stored

Real-world examples

European Union (EU) Green Deal

• Objective: aimed at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050

• Policies:

  • Carbon border adjustment mechanism: introduces a carbon tax on imports to prevent "carbon leakage" and ensure fair competition for EU industries that have stricter climate regulations

  • Renewable energy expansion: sets targets for increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the EU's energy mix

  • Energy efficiency: promotes energy-efficient technologies and practices across various sectors

Norway's renewable energy initiatives

• Achievement: Norway generates nearly 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, primarily hydropower

• Incentives for electric vehicles (EVs):

  • Offers incentives for purchasing electric vehicles, including tax exemptions, toll reductions and free parking

• Climate policies:

  • Plans to phase out fossil fuel-based vehicles by 2025, contributing significantly to reducing transportation emissions