Unpredictable climatic changes have characterized the 20th and 21 centuries. These variations stemmed from the emissions released into the atmosphere by processing plants and automobiles. Without effective and timely remedies, such emissions can trigger the extinction of the human race. Over the centuries outlined above, the world has experienced severe catastrophes such as tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, and glaciations, which are climate change outcomes. These developments led to the inception of UNCCC. UNCCC’s focus is to mitigate the effects triggered by climate change. Savaresi (2016) explains that the convention’s principal objectives include the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Since UNCCC’s inception, members have been meeting annually to analyse the resultant gains and persuade developed countries to adhere to guidelines drafted in the agreements. The members also develop additional policies for the betterment of the planet. Some places that have hosted the convention include Berlin in Germany, Kyoto in Japan, Bonn in Germany, Milan in Italy, and New Delhi in India.
The main theme that guides the conventions’ annual meeting is averting the challenges caused by climate change. The conferences have yielded several positive outcomes, which have been instrumental in addressing the issue. Kyoto Protocol is one such milestone that has been useful in mitigating the negative impacts that transpire when developed nations emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In the Kyoto protocol, members agreed that nations needed to reduce the carbon emissions to levels that could not threaten the planet’s livelihoods. So far, the treaty that became effective in 2005 has 192 members. The desire to address the emissions stemmed from the understanding that carbon emissions triggered global warming and interfered with the earth’s carrying capacity. Another significant policy, which materialized in 2015, is the Paris Agreement. Member states used the Paris Agreement to encourage developed nations to reduce their emissions so that the global temperature rise could drop to an average of 2 °C (Seo, 2017). A decrease in the earth’s temperature implies that the global warming challenge that threatens the planet’s existence diminishes.
Analysis of Two Conferences
2002 UNCCC in New Delhi, India
The eighth UNCCC conference took place in 2002 in New Delhi, India. During the event, attendees adopted the Delhi Ministerial Declaration. Kolleck et al. (2017) assert that the Delhi Ministerial declaration encouraged developed countries to minimize their emissions and transfer technology. The move hinged on the impact of climate change on third world countries. To achieve the report’s proposals, industrialized nations had to cut their greenhouse gas emissions significantly. The declaration also noted that the members of the UNCCC needed to continue their efforts in eradicating poverty and minimizing the suffering experienced by individuals, especially those living in developing nations. The report also challenged members who were not a party to the Kyoto Protocol to work together with others in implementing its provisions. The report’s generation stemmed from the realization that the ongoing climate changes could eventually result in severe consequences to the planet. Members present highlighted various adverse effects that had occurred due to changes in climatic conditions.
Additionally, parties to the declaration had to practice sustainable development that focuses on minimal emissions and utilize eco-friendly technologies. For the effective implementation of the report, parties had to reinstate the Marrakesh convention’s details. Such sentiments emanated from the realization that climate change victims comprised the poorest nations who do not participate actively in high-scale greenhouse gas emissions (Louis & Phalkey, 2016). As such, parties to the convention needed to work together with their public and private sectors to address technology transfer. Cooperation between different stakeholders was fundamental in the attainment of successes outlined in the declaration. Some sectors that required intensive adjustments included energy, transport, and manufacturing. With effective changes in technology, member states could easily reduce their overall emissions and reach their targets. For the report to be effective, all parties had to support the contents. However, Russia’s hesitation meant that some ratifications detailed in the declaration could not materialize soon after the meeting.
UNCCC Meeting in Paris Agreement
On 12 December 2015, parties attending the UNCCC convention in Paris, France, decided to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. The treaty outlines various strategies that could help nations to address the rising global temperatures. The report is a milestone, especially in the move towards minimizing the effects of climate change. One of the significant guidelines drafted in the agreement is reducing greenhouse emissions to 2 °C. Parties present consented that such a move would reduce the adverse consequences emanating from uncontrolled emissions from China and the United States (Kolleck et al., 2017). Due to the urgency of the issue, members present agreed that the gains should be practical within the first half to the 21st century. The timeline stemmed after a consensus between the scientists and those in the political sector. These individuals agreed that climate changes could be more severe in the absence of timely measures.
Another vital aspect enshrined in the agreement is developing a climate resilience and adoption of renewable energy. Stakeholders present in the meeting demonstrated their willingness to ratify the resolutions and engage in activities outlined in the agreement. The membership of the agreement has exceeded 190 states. High emitters that include the United States, China, and India, have accepted the terms highlighted in the agreement. The willingness from these states is a positive move towards making the planet a better place. For the successful implementation of the contents in the report, the nations had to exercise flexibility. The distinction between developing and industrialized nations could help assess the progress made by a respective state. With such considerations, nations could provide their regular feedback on their alignment with the required targets. Although several countries have made strides towards meeting the set targets, some chose to withdraw. Dennis (2019) explains that on November 4, 2019, the United States demonstrated its desire to withdraw from the agreement. The move to withdraw materializes within one year.
How UNCCC Impacts Analysis
For decades, UNCCC has continued to persuade countries to adopt various climate change policies. The theme that informed the conference’s creation was the adverse impacts triggered by changes in weather patterns. Floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and glaciation are among the severe repercussions introduced by uncontrolled greenhouse emissions. Global warming continues to trigger a rise in oceanic levels, which indicates a severe need to develop a body that could create strategies for climate conservation. The UN understood that without timely remedies, the earth would lose its ability to support human life. Following these concerns, the United Nations decided to create a segment that focuses on preserving the authenticity of the planet’s authenticity. Some of the strategies that UNCCC uses when convincing states to adopt and implement policies on climate change include funding and regular reporting. Using these approaches, the UNCCC can successfully challenge the parties to the convention to implement various policies regarding climate change.
Funding and Regular Reporting
Funding is a critical strategy that the UNCCC uses to persuade countries to adopt and implement climate change policies. The funds generated usually go to undeveloped countries so that they can manage the effects of climate change. Parties to the convention realized that even though third-world nations do not contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, they suffer greatly from the consequences. Some of the funds that the body has introduced include the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The decision to create the fund materialised in 2010. The venture is instrumental in reducing global temperature rise to the level outlined in the Paris Agreement. Savaresi (2016) alludes that since GCF’s inception, parties have pledged $10 billion. The fund is useful for developing nations who desire to reduce their emissions because it encourages developing nations to implement renewable resources projects. Instead of following the industrialized nations in adopting practises that emit greenhouse gases, UNCCC uses the fund collected from GCF to encourage third world countries to refrain from adopting practises that pollute the atmosphere.
Another significant fund used by the UNCCC is the Adaptation Fund, which took effect in 2001. Like the GCF, the fund helps less-developed countries adopt development practises that do not consume high fossil fuel levels. Wind, hydro, and solar are among the practises encouraged by the Adaptation Fund. Regularly, UNCCC relays these resources to countries in various continents worldwide following the realization of the adverse impacts of erratic weather patterns. Imperatively, if nations fail to adopt climate change policies, the future costs may be higher and costly. United Nations Climate Change (2020) explains that the Adaptation Fund has received backing from Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Sweden totalling $75 million. These resources will be vital in alleviating social and economic challenges faced by developing countries because of climate changes.
Management Issues in Planning and Evaluating UNCCC Events
UNCCC is a large event attended by thousands of delegates globally. The resolutions attained in the convention are usually practical and useful in mitigating the challenges caused by weather patterns changes. However, the conference experiences challenges that revolve around the planning and evaluation of its resolutions. These issues have interfered with the seamless review of the gains achieved, and the party states’ expectations. Diplomatic challenges, limited time, and inadequate resources comprise the issues that affect the planning, staging, and evaluation of UNCCC events. National challenges can greatly affect the operations of convention and minimize the period available for planning. National issues have always affected UNCCC events’ hosting, changing their entire programs and forcing the executives to reschedule the meetings. For instance, in 2019, the UNCCC hosting became complex after Brazil withdrew after the election of President Jair Bolsonaro (Salazar, 2020). Afterward, Chilean protests interfered with the new host rendering UNCCC plans almost immaterial until Spain opted to host the event.
Another issue faced by the UNCCC planners is limited time for organizing meetings. These conventions’ complicated nature requires time to develop policies, locate the appropriate host, and review the previous minutes. Such a task requires a substantial amount of time for preparation before the next meeting. Besides the limitation of time, another challenge hinges on the unpreceded challenges. Floods, earthquakes, and pandemics often interfere with the planning of UNCCC operations. In 2020, leaders have postponed the event owing to the challenges introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak has presented a challenge to the planners who have changed the date and the year. A close look at the UNCCC calendar on annual events reveals that the planners have omitted 2020. This indicates that the pandemic has compelled them to forego their plans until 2021. According to IISD (2020), the event was to occur in Glasgow, UK, on 9-19 of November but failed to effect due to the outbreak. From the review, it is evident that natural calamities pose a challenge in the planning, staging, and evaluating UNCCC events.
Limited resources comprise another issue that has continued to interfere with the effective organisation of UNCCC events. While some countries in the association are willing to fund some projects advanced by the COP, others are reluctant. The disconnection between member states affects the seamless execution of UNCCC actions. A review of some human resources indicates that the number of nations who funded these initiatives is minimal. A good example is evident from the review of countries that have funded the Adaptation Fund. Few countries include Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Sweden (United Nations Climate Change, 2020). Such a challenge makes the process of planning, staging, and evaluating UNCCC activities complicated and challenging. Some nations are also reluctant to implement the guidelines attained in previous meetings. Instead, delegates from these countries reject plans and plunge the conference into limbo. After enacting the Delhi Ministerial Declaration, Russia was reluctant and claimed that it needed time to make an informed consideration (Kolleck et al., 2017). The decline complicated the quality of reviews on the gains achieved during and after the event.
References
Dennis, B. (2019). Trump makes it official: U.S. will withdraw from the Paris climate accord. The Washington Post. Web.
IISD. (2020). UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 26). Web.
Kolleck, N., Well, M., Sperzel, S., & Jörgens, H. (2017). The power of social networks: How the UNFCCC secretariat creates momentum for climate education. Global Environmental Politics, 17(4), 106-126. Web.
Louis, V., & Phalkey, R. (2016). Health impacts in a changing climate: An overview. The European Physical Journal Special Topics, 225(3), 429-441.
Salazar. (2020). What’s at stake after Chile cancels its hosting of COP25? Mongabay. Web.
Savaresi, A. (2016). The Paris Agreement: A new beginning? Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, 34(1), 16-26.
Seo, S. (2017). Beyond the Paris Agreement: Climate change policy negotiations and future directions. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 9(2), 121-140. Web.
United Nations Climate Change. (2020). List of recent climate funding announcements. 2020, Web.
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