Unit 10 - Action on Climate Change

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Created by
Emily C

Cards (30)

  • Before Kyoto

    - 1992 Rio "Earth Summit"
    - 1995 COP 1 in Berlin, Germany
    - 1997 COP 3 = Kyoto, Japan
  • 1992 Rio "Earth Summit" (before Kyoto)

    - Canada commits to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2000
    - Set up the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP)
  • 1995 COP 1 - Berlin, Germany (before Kyoto)

    at this meeting, they decided the 1990 commitment wasn't enough
  • Kyoto Protocol

    developed countries agree to legally binding caps that will deliver a 5.2% reduction from 1990 levels over the 2008-2012 period
    - Canada agrees to reduce by 6%
    - USA target is 7%
    China and India did not take part(no limits on emissions for developing nations)
  • Post Kyoto

    - The Hauge, Netherlands, Nov. 2000
    - Ottawa, Dec. 2000
  • The Hauge, Netherlands, Nov. 2000 (Post Kyoto)

    no final deal due to the US and Canada demanding credit for forests
  • Ottawa, Dec. 2000 (Post Kyoto)

    - no final deal due to the US and Canada demanding credit for forests
    - no new talks scheduled
  • Mid 2001 (Post Kyoto)

    it's now clear that GWB won't place the treaty before the Senate, so there's no possibility of US ratification
  • November 2001 (Post Kyoto)

    all nations but the US reached an agreement in Marrakech
  • Early 2002 (Post Kyoto)

    - First European Nations ratify
    - EU ratifies in August 2002
    - Canada ratifies in December 2002
  • 2 Issues We Faced As We Approached 2008-2012
    1. Little progress in Canada/US
    2. Very rapid growth in India and China
  • 2009 COP 15 - Copenhagen, Denmark

    a US-led initiative called the Copenhagen Accord has formed the center-piece of a deal at UN climate talks in ... despite some countries opposition
  • The Copenhagen Accord

    - reached the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa
    - contains no reference to a legally binding agreement
    - while there wasn't a specific deadline to transform it into a binding agreement, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon said it needed to be turned into a legally binding treaty in the next year
    - it was only "recognized" by 193 nations at the Copenhagen summit, rather than approved
  • Canada's commitment in the Copenhagen Accord
    the Harper Government agreed to reduce to 17% below 2005, by 2020 (which was less attainable than our previous goal)
  • Copenhagen Accord - Temperature Rise
    - recognizes the need to limit global temperatures rising no more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels
    - doesn't establish a formal target or a peak year for carbon emissions
  • Copenhagen Accord - Emissions Transparency

    - under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, (UNFCCC) the pledges of rich countries will be scrutinized rigorously
    - developing countries will submit national reports on their emissions pledges under a method "that will ensure national sovereignty is respected."
  • When was the Implementation of The Copenhagen Accord to be Reviewed?

    - 2015
    - 3 and a 1/2 years after the next scientific assessment of the global climate by the IPCC
  • COP 17 - Durban, South Africa, Dec 11th, 2011

    - 194 participating nations
    Objective:determine the future of the Kyoto Protocol and its successor
    - fort the first time in the UNFCCC process, it was acknowledged thatboth developed and developing countries must be responsibleto mitigate the impacts of climate change
  • The Durban Platform

    - aims to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C or 2.0 above preindustrial levels, stating current commitments are insufficient to reach that goal
    - both developed and developing nations must negotiate a treaty by 2015 to reduce carbon emissions
    - the Kyoto Protocol will be extended for a second commitment period
  • The 2nd Commitment Period

    - The EU and 9 other countries will be subjected to a second round of targets under the Kyoto Protocol
    - Canada, Japan and Russia won't continue their commitments, leaving countries responsible for less than 15% of global emissions
    - China, US and India will only be bound by voluntary pledges made at previous UN climate summits
  • Cop 21, Paris, Dec 12, 2015

    - the current legally binding treaty that we live under that's supposed to save us from 2-3 degree temperature rise
    - current ratification of 185 member nations of the UN
    - we need to reduce approx. 200Mt of Co2 by 2030
  • The Paris Agreement

    - opened for signature on April 22nd, 2016 - Earth Day at UN Headquarters in New York
    - entered into force on Nov 4th, 2016
    Includes:
    - Long Term Temperature Goals
    - Global Peaking and "Climate Neutrality"
    - Mitigation (Canada commits -30% from 2005)
    - Global Stock Take
    - Finance, Technology, and the Capacity-Building Support
  • What are some Issues Canada faces to Achieve their goals? (and if they do achieve their goal what are the impacts?)
    - voluntary actions won't achieve the Co2 cuts needed
    - a massive national effort is needed
    Achieving reductions will have impacts such as...
    - societal costs
    - regional and industry impacts
    issues of equity
    competitiveness issues
  • Oil and Gas

    Canada's highest GHG emission contributor
  • Waste & Other

    Canada's lowest GHG emission contributor
  • Carbon Tax

    - took effect on April 1st, 2019
    - Min $10/tonne - (BC already at $30)
    - $65/tonne on April 1st, 2023
  • Electricity

    largest change in GHG emissions
  • Alberta

    this province in Canada produces the largest amount of GHG emissions
  • PEI

    this province in Canada is the smallest producer of GHG emissions
  • How Much GHG Emissions has Canada Produced in 2021?
    670 Mt Co2e