Today the head of states of most countries are aware of the fact that the human-based greenhouse effect is one of the main reasons for global warming and the melting of the ice at the poles. Furthermore they have realized that this will lead to more natural catastrophes, than have already occurred. The scope of the present assignment is to point out what the international climate politics for reducing the human-based greenhouse effect and what is the status quo of emission reduction measures are. Therefore chapter one highlights the fundamentals of the greenhouse effect and which gases trigger it. Especially the carbon dioxide emissions lead to an increased warming of the earth with an amount of 9-26 per cent. The main cause for the greenhouse effect
with approximately 50 per cent is the burning of fossil energy sources like petrol or wood. Chapter two characterizes the development of international climate politics. Beginning in the year 1979 at the first world climate summit a worldwide binding climate
protection was first passed in December 1997 when the United Nations established a protocol at the Nations Conference in Kyoto which has the aim to “stabilize the amount of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”1. The protocol
establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of greenhouse gases. So far 183 states have ratified the protocol. Furthermore three different Kyoto Mechanisms will be explained, that are to help to achieve the agreed climate goals. One of these mechanisms is Emission Trading that is used on the one hand on national level within the Kyoto Protocol and on the other hand on company level. The use on company level is implemented in the European Union Emission Trading System that
will be described in chapter three. By using a cap & trade system the governments of the participant countries try to create incentives for selected sectors to reduce their emission level. This is supposed to be realized by a continuously lowered cap for produced emissions. This lowering is divided in three main phases. The first phase from
2005 to 2007 was a testing phase which covered ~ 50 per cent of the national CO2 emissions. The second phase from 2008 to 2012 reduces the emission allowances and includes other greenhouse gases.The third phase will start in 2013 and will again reduce the emission limits and other sectors such as aviation and...
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
2.1 Historical development
2.2 Burden sharing
2.3 Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol
2.4 Kyoto Mechanism
2.4.1 Clean Development Mechanism
2.4.2 Joint Implementation
2.4.3 Emission Trading
3 THE EUROPEAN UNION EMISSION TRADING SYSTEM
3.1 Basic information
3.2 The Cap & trade system
3.3 The EU ETS phases
3.3.1 Phase I (2005-2007)
3.3.2 Phase II (2008-2012)
3.3.3 Phase III (2012-2020)
4 DEVELOPMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
4.1 The worldwide trend for carbon dioxide emissions
4.2 The development in the European Union
4.3 Development in Germany
5 CONCLUSION
Objectives and Core Themes
This assignment aims to examine the development of international climate policies focused on mitigating the human-induced greenhouse effect and to assess the current status of various emission reduction measures worldwide and specifically within the European Union and Germany.
- Fundamentals of the greenhouse effect and identifying primary causative gases.
- Historical evolution and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and its flexible mechanisms.
- Functionality and structural phases of the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS).
- Comparative analysis of worldwide and regional carbon dioxide emission trends from 1990 to 2007.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Historical development
The first world climate summit of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) took place in Geneva in 1979 and appealed to the heads of states to counteract the perceivable risk of climate pollution. At this point it was clear that only a collective act can lead to a success of climate protection.
In June 1992 the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) took place in Rio de Janeiro. This was the biggest environmental meeting of heads of states up to then and many contracts for climate protection were agreed on by the participating nations. One of these settlements was the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which is the basic framework for the later Kyoto Protocol.
The UNFCCC defined the binding offer to avoid dangerous and humanly caused interference into the climate system of the earth. This agreement was ratified by 200 countries and came into effect on the 21st March 1994. In order to reach the defined goals, the UNFCC intended to arrange additional agreements and protocols. These were to contain explicit aims for climate protection and the dynamic adjustments were to be accomplished yearly at the Conference of Parties (COP).
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the global climate change issue, emphasizing the human-based greenhouse effect caused by industrialization and the burning of fossil fuels.
2 THE KYOTO PROTOCOL: This chapter details the historical development of international climate protection, the commitment of Annex 1 states, and the three flexible mechanisms designed to achieve emission reduction goals.
3 THE EUROPEAN UNION EMISSION TRADING SYSTEM: This chapter explains the structure of the EU ETS, its functioning as a cap & trade system, and its multi-phase implementation strategy.
4 DEVELOPMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: This chapter analyzes the statistical progress of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, comparing performance across various nations and specifically focusing on the EU and Germany.
5 CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the findings regarding international climate politics, the effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol, and the impact of the EU ETS on emission reduction.
Keywords
Kyoto Protocol, Greenhouse Effect, Carbon Dioxide, EU ETS, Climate Change, Emission Trading, Cap & Trade, UNFCCC, Burden Sharing, Global Warming, Emission Reduction, Fossil Fuels, Industrialization, COP, Environmental Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this assignment?
The assignment focuses on the international political efforts to curb the human-induced greenhouse effect and evaluates the current status and effectiveness of various emission reduction strategies.
Which thematic areas are covered?
The key themes include the fundamentals of the greenhouse effect, the evolution of the Kyoto Protocol, the mechanics of the EU Emission Trading System, and comparative global emission trends.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The primary objective is to analyze how international climate policies and specific mechanisms like the EU ETS contribute to the reduction of human-based greenhouse gases.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work utilizes a descriptive approach based on secondary research, including the analysis of international protocols, policy directives, and statistical data on greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2007.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the legal frameworks of the Kyoto Protocol and the EU ETS, alongside a detailed quantitative assessment of emission developments in the EU, Germany, and globally.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include Kyoto Protocol, EU ETS, Carbon Dioxide, Emission Trading, and Climate Protection.
How is the European Union Emission Trading System structured?
The EU ETS operates as a cap & trade system where an upper limit for emissions is set, and companies must return emission allowances equivalent to their actual output, with the system evolving in three specific phases.
Why are the USA and Germany discussed as contrasting examples?
Germany is presented as a model of successful emission reduction (decreasing by 20.3% by 2007), whereas the USA is noted for having rejected the Kyoto Protocol and increasing its CO2 emissions by 20% since 1990.
What is the function of the Kyoto mechanisms?
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI), and Emission Trading (ET) are designed to make emission reductions more cost-efficient by allowing flexible, cross-border approaches to meeting environmental targets.
- Citation du texte
- Dennis Ducke (Auteur), 2009, Development of the international climate politics to reduce the emission of human based greenhouse gases and status quo of the emission reduction measures, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/141665
