Climate Legislation

Question 1

State the climate change target for the UK laid out in the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019.

Answer 1

Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050

Question 2

State the full title of the “NDCs” that are required as part of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement of 2015.

Answer 2

Nationally Determined Contributions

Question 3

Outline the statutory status and key purposes of the Climate Change Committee.

Answer 3

• “The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is an independent statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008”
• “Our purpose is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change”

Question 4

List the key International Climate Legislation and Policy

Answer 4

• UN Vienna Convention for the protection of the Ozone Layer 1985 - Montreal Protocol 1987 (first example of adoption of the precautionary principle)
• UN Convention on Climate Change 1992 - Kyoto Protocol 1997
• UNFCCC Paris Agreement 2015 and subsequent Conference of Parties
• UN Sustainable Development Goals

Question 5

What is the Paris Agreements central aims

Answer 5

• To strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels
• To persue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius (UNFCCC, 2017)

Question 6

How many Parties have currently ratified the Paris Agreement

Answer 6

194 out of 198 Parties to the Convention

Question 7

When did the Paris Agreement enter into force?

Answer 7

04/11/16

Question 8

What are Parties under the Paris Agreement requested to do?

Answer 8

All Parties are requested to submit Nationally Determined Contributions every 5 years - all parties are expected to increase their ambition

Question 9

What temperature increase did the 2020 NDCs predict?

Answer 9

2.7 degrees Celsius by 2100

Question 10

What assesses NDC non-compliance?

Answer 10

Non-punitive committee

Question 11

What are the Key COP28/29 Agreements?

Answer 11

• Establishment of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage - assisting developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change
• Green Climate Fund received pledges from 6 new countries, boosting the total to $12.8 billion
• 10 year extension of the Lima Work Programme on Gender and Climate Change
• Progress on carbon markets, establishing the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism