Lecture xii - Role of States in response to Climate Change

Question 1

Define state

Answer 1

self-govning political entity regulate law, society within defined territory

state’s govnance essentially reflect work of govt

Question 2

Name 3 responses by a state to climate change

Answer 2

• enforce international agreemt, national policy, regulat n aimed at reduce ghg emis n
• employ adaptative strategies to manage CC effects
• transit n to & invest in clean tech, renewable energy scs

Question 3

Explain enforcing international agreement, national policy, regulation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Answer 3

• under Paris Agreemt, each country determine, plan, regular report contribut n to mitigate CC, set target by specific date
• emphasise consensus-building, allow voluntary, nationally determined targets
• focus on shared responsibility, politically encouraged rather than legally bound
• enforced in 2016
• govt oso can impose regulat n, standard on industries to limit emis n, promote energy eff

Benefit:
- recognise CC is shared problem, encourage all countries eg Japan, China, EU set carbon neutrality goal, embrace net zero target (unlike Kyoto protocol)
- bring all nation to common cause, undertake ambitious efforts combat CC, adapt, w enhanced support assist LDCs do so
- actively promote all EU member state join

Failures:
- cnt force country reduce emis n
- many expert criticise countries’ pledge, not ambitious enough, will not b enacted quickly to limit global temp rise to 1.5 deg C (Earth not on track stay below goal of 2 deg C increase)

Question 4

Explain employing adaptation strategies to manage effects of climate change

Answer 4

• govt need invest in measure to cope, adjust to CC impact (esp vulnerable area eg low-lying, etc. eg Dubai flood 16 April 2024, heaviest in 75 yr destroy many infra)
• can use soil-free cultivat n eg in Dal Lake, Kashmir, Inle Lake Myanmar
  eg
  Adaptative strategies in Bangladesh (low-lying)
• most vulnerable to CC impact
• traditional agri system eg rice paddies no longer reliable bcos easily damaged by weather, prone to saltwater intrus n)
• According to World Bank, by 2050 rise sea lvl, coastal eros n cld displace 20 million ppl while submerge substantial amt land, wipe out large share food product n, affect Bangladesh food security (so adapt n vv needed esp bcos abt half workforce in agri)
• govt attempted popularise floating gardens/bed agri
  (rely on traditional form hydroponic garden recognised as climate-resilient, nature-based sol n keep country flood-hit farmers afloat)

Benefit:
- low cost establish garden
- allow farm fish, prawn, crab (mixed crop farming)
- can b rebuilt quickly after damage fr cyclone
- btr econ initiative for rural farmer. In Barisal, Bangladesh, age-old cultivat n float garden can bring up to 70 000 taka (658 SGD) a month during peak harvest season (btr than initiatives undertaken by previous NGOs)
- success of such floating garden can b extended to abt 2 mill hectare land, ensure food secure, econ revenue for rural farmer

Limit n
- farmers must take out high-interest loan to adopt agri practice, cld pose as financial deterrent
- gardens can b susceptible to pest

Question 5

Explain investing in clean technologies and renewable energy sources in general

Answer 5

• many govt oso invest in R&D, deploy clean energy tech (battery store, C capture, storage, advance nuclear pwr, etc.)
  eg ARPA-E
• fund high risk high reward research project
• support dvlopmt high energy density lithium ion batteries EVs, advance wind turbine design

oso,
- govt invest in alternative renew energy scs eg solar, wind, hydroe-
- implement policies promote adopt n (subsidy, tax incentive)
eg in 2020,
solar, wind pwr break records in clean energy gen n, tgt w other key renew tech eg hydropwr, bioenergy, geothermal (world closer to achieve net zero carbon goal)
- China transit n to use solar, wind, etc.
- strong growth in Europe, US, India, Latin America, where govt support + lower price for solar PV, wind continue drive installat n in more place
- US growth spurred by extension of federal tax credits

-HOWEVER, total decarbon n efforts still fall far short of what is needed to achieve net-zero pathway

Question 6

Explain investing in clean technologies and renewable energy sources, using China as example

Answer 6

• inter-govt agreemt btw China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
• since 2018, China invest in solar, wind pwr project in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan reduce environ impact of FF (highly dependent on)
• energy shortage in both countries threaten energy security, force prioritise renewable source
• Kazakhstan face gap btw gas process capacity, pop n growth, Uzbekistan face energy deficit amid decline gas product n
• Moscow increase Pa on two countries import more gas fr Russia since start full-scale invas n of Ukraine 2022
• intergovt framework agreemt signed btw 2 Kazakhstan & China in 2015 aimed strengthen coop in industrial n, investmt, lead to no. of joint project eg renewable energy
• in 2022, Uzbekistan establish strategic partnership w China focus on green energy
• dvlopmt of regulatory framework play critical role in attract China to participate in renewable energy project in both countries
• open alternative avenue participat n for Chinese companies, bid, apply for projects in diff capacities
• oso improve profitability of implement renew energy project in both countries as offer various incentives for such project, eg tax exempt n, subsidies
• China emphasised environ consider n, shift fr large-scale FF, infra efforts to smaller, more sustainable project include scalable solar, wind energy

Question 7

Explain importance of partnerships between firms, NGOs and governments in response to climate change

Answer 7

1. leverage diverse rcs, capacity build, knowledge share
   - firms may offer finalcial rcs, tech innovat n, biz acumen (skill), to NGOs, govt agencies
   -NGOs bring grassroots knowledge eg offer insight into local context, community needs & influence community thru connect n
   - Govt share data, policy insight for informed decision-make, provie regulatory framework, institutional support promote effectiveness of climate programmes/strategies
   => this mutual share rcs, learning process can strengthen capacity of all parties, foster continuous improvemt, long-term sustain proposed adaptive, mitigative measure of CC. By pool rcs, hv holistic understand of issues w integrated diverse viewpt, skills, enable dvlopmt of more robust strategies more effective address both immediate needs, underlying cause of problems
2. Enhance impact & scale
   - collaborative efforts btw 3 entities hv more potential reach out more intended vulnerable communities, aid them adapt to CC vs individual initiative
   - coord activites, share best practices amplify collective influence, scale up successful climatic mitigative intervent n
   => by work tgt in collaborative, coord manenr, 3 entities can maximise impact, aid community at large, better adapt to CC, for esp vulnerable grp/countries, achieve SD in long term for global pop n, future gen thru mitigative measure