Monday, October 3, 2016

India Ratifies Paris Climate Change Agreement

On Gandhi’s birth anniversary, India ratified Paris agreement on climate change. This agreement will come into force when 55 countries contributing at least 55% of total greenhouse gas emissions ratifies the treaty. As of now 62 countries which contributes 52% of global emissions ratified the treaty.

Aim of the agreement is to,
# Maintain the increase in global average temperature rise well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; pursue efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels
# Increase the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production
# Making finance flows consistent for low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.

India has a long way to go. As a developing nation, whose markets are sucking in more and more energy and demanding much more every year needs to make big shifts to renewable energy in order to reduce emissions considerably. Programs like National Solar Mission are steps in right direction.

Paris agreement is a far cry from what is required and hardly have any enforcing mechanism; but this is what we got. Hope that governments will follow at least this one.

Sajeev

References
1. NewYork Times
2. Wikipedia.

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