Environmental Conventions (Climate Change) | Agriculture Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

What are International Environmental Conventions?

An international environmental convention refers to a legally binding treaty that is negotiated among sovereign governments to collectively address and alleviate global environmental challenges. It is a significant achievement to reach a consensus on taking unified action when dealing with such issues, especially considering the varying interests of participating nations.

• Nevertheless, in recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of these agreements, aimed at tackling worldwide and regional environmental issues.

Why is there a Need for these Conventions?

• The need for these conventions arises from the fact that for many participating nations, ratifying and putting into effect such agreements is a more economically efficient way to reduce the adverse impacts on both health and the environment compared to taking individual, unilateral actions.
• Furthermore, these conventions have the advantage of generating economic benefits by establishing uniform legislation and standards that extend across borders. This creates a fair and level playing field for industries operating in different countries and prevents a situation where Parties compete with each other at the detriment of the environment and public health.
• These conventions are essential because they address various factors that have detrimental effects on human health, food security, economic development, climate change, and the environment. These issues are intertwined and interconnected, and the conventions provide a platform for discussion and concerted actions aimed at averting the negative consequences of these factors.

What is United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change?

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed in 1992 during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which is also known as the Earth Summit, the Rido Summit, or the Rio Conference. India stands among a small group of nations that have hosted the Conference of the Parties (COP) for all three Rio conventions related to climate change (UNFCCC), biodiversity (CBD), and land (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification).
• The UNFCCC became effective in 1994 and has been ratified by 197 countries. It serves as the foundational treaty for both the 2015 Paris Agreement and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The UNFCCC secretariat, known as UN Climate Change, is the specialized United Nations body responsible for supporting the global efforts to address the threat of climate change. It is headquartered in Bonn, Germany.
• The primary goal of the UNFCCC is to achieve a stable concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which would prevent harmful consequences within a timeframe that allows ecosystems to naturally adapt and promotes sustainable development.

What is United Nations Conference on Environment & Development?

• The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), widely recognized as the 'Earth Summit,' took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, spanning from June 3 to June 14 in 1992. This global conference marked the 20th anniversary of the initial Human Environment Conference held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972.
• The Earth Summit underscored the intricate interdependence of various social, economic, and environmental factors, highlighting that progress in one sector necessitates actions in other sectors for long-term sustainability. The primary goal of the Rio Earth Summit was to establish a comprehensive agenda and a fresh framework for international collaboration on environmental and development matters. This framework was intended to guide global cooperation and development policies into the twenty-first century.
• The summit affirmed that the idea of sustainable development was an achievable objective for all people worldwide, irrespective of whether they operated at the local, national, regional, or international levels.
  The conference produced several significant documents, including:
  • The Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  • The Convention on Biological Diversity
  • The Statement on Forest Principles
  • The Rio Declaration
  • Agenda 21

What is UN World Summit?

• The UN World Summit of 2005 convened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where it assembled over 170 heads of state and government from around the world. During this Summit, global leaders reached agreements to take action on various critical global issues.
• These governments made resolute commitments to realize the development objectives outlined in the Millennium Declaration by the year 2015. To combat poverty, they pledged an extra $50 billion annually and expressed their determination to identify inventive sources of development funding. Furthermore, they vowed to take supplementary steps to ensure the sustainability of long-term debt.
• In addition, these leaders asserted their unwavering dedication to promoting trade liberalization and promised to diligently carry out the development components of the Doha work program.