05/03 Notes Climate Change

- Greenhouse gases emissions (higher than pre-industrial levels) in 1800s we started to

pollute with carbon and methane--------- climate change (higher average temperature,
changes in rainfall, rising sea levels, air quality, -------- social conflict (Agricultural
crises, food crises, employment/income crises and natural disasters, less education,
low economic growth) leads to civil war and migration
- Ex: Lack of rainfall makes it hard for farmers to make money and sell crops- when
you take away that little money people dont have money people turn to crime,
violence or migrate to cities- in Syria when food prices went up and people left
- China is number one world polluter, India, U.S.- the effects are on poor farmers who
live in the tropics- not on people who live in wealthy countries- need people to stop
using as much energy
- Certain amount of gasses that led to this balance that created life on earth- heat is kept
trapped in- global warming or climate change
Climate Change Regime
There is a climate change regime that doesnt have a central actor- center piece is the
UNFCC- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of 1992- soft
law agreement saying this is a problem we should do something and not emit as
much- there were not any hard obligations, every 5 years there was a meeting called
Conference of the Parties- funding available through the World Bank or UNDP-
global Environmental Facility who helps poorer countries not pollute as much- strong
epistemic community (community of scientists who study the issue)- transnational
community that is focused on expertise- IGPCC- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change- other International Organizations that have worked on climate change
regulations,
- Many types of standards to measure how countries are doing with emissions- a lot of
NGOs and accounting firms that measure pollutes or measure
Deforestation or reforestation- there are private firms that do that
- Private companies (MNCs)- have a statement about climate change- because
consumers punish MNCs when violate climate change
- National legislation
- Mass public action like big demonstrations
- At the UNFCC 1992 there was the goal of By 2000 drop emissions levels to 199 this
did not happen and the wealthy countries should cut more
- Wealthy countries agreed to transfer technology to poor countries0 but it was not
specified how to- an example would be engines that run more efficiently- cars that get
more gas mileage
COP Kyoto Protocol 1997
- Specific cutbacks on specific countries- annex I(appendix of countries)- annex 1 are
wealthy countries, annex 2 not wealthy countries- countries would cut 5-10%
emissions below 1990 levels- flexible mechanisms0 a dirtier country could purchase
credit- emissions trading among annex I countries- power plants in north east in
emissions market
 - Joint implementation- wealthy countries could improve technology- clean
development mechanism allowed countries to offset their emissions by paying for
forestry projects- and transferred into the ground through the root system
- Marginal cost of improvement rises
- Paris agreement 2015- keep the rise limited to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels- all countries must follow this limit
- U.S. refused to sign Kyoto protocol because we love cheap energy and also because
U.S. passed an amendment to the budget until China created own climate plan- own
limits, timetable, plan, revealed for 5 years- reviewed 5 years
- Knowledge is power- its a campaign at tcnj that encourages people t turn off their
lights

UNFCCC 1992
Conference Of Parties every 5 years
Kyoto 1997-Annex I Countries- wealthy countries and Russia
Non-annex I-Rest-Did not have to cut (CHINA, INDIA, MEXICO, BRAZIL,
INDONESIA)
3 ways to trade emission: joint implementation, clean development
mechanism, emissions trading
Expired 2012
Paris Agreement 2015
Individually defined target, plan, timetable
Goal: avg. temp. rise over 2 Celsiusno naming and shaming, collective goal
What is a standard? standard accountingprivate life
Defunct standards-NGOs created
Standards: Pollution
CO2 emit-DEF. SOURCES
Methane
Gases
Forest fires
Reforesteration
Energy Efficiency

Standards on offset standard, accounting standard, transparency standard, and

market exchange

Complex Problem:
-Many causesimmigrations
-Responsibility
-Countries/Companies/Individuals
-Most currently and how long polluted? (UK, France)
-Compliance and Enforcement Issues
-Burden sharing & Transfers
- Quantitative

MNCs
-Winnersites
-Local Govt.
Individuals
NORM-SOFT LAW-expected behavior
-Climate change has to be more apparent
-Chinese politicians-more pressure to reduce the pollution-health
Did punish BP due to oil spill-(Market)---not enough punishment

Punishment for Kyoto Protocol-

-not followed through.Y1-3 punishments not followed through

Leed Silver machine better than leed gold