Transcript The Kyoto Protocol and Copenhagen Climate Change Conference

The Kyoto Protocol and Copenhagen
Climate Change Conference
IB Geography I
Essential Questions
Write these questions down, and we will answer them
at the end…
• How successful have we been at the global
level to combat climate change?
• What stands in the way of having greater
commitment at the global scale?
Take 1 minute to write 1 claim related trend found in this
graph…
Take 1 minute to write 1 claim related to patterns found in this
graph…
Kyoto Protocol. What is it?
• The Kyoto Protocol is part of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC or FCCC), and is aimed at fighting global
warming.
• The UNFCCC is an international environmental
treaty with the goal of achieving "stabilization of
greenhouse gases concentrations in the
atmosphere at a level that would prevent
dangerous anthropogenic (human) interference
with the climate system."
Who?
• The Protocol was initially adopted in
December of 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and
entered into force in February of 2005.
• As of July 2010, 191 states have signed and
ratified the protocol.
• Unfortunately, the US which is one of the
world's biggest polluters, signed but decided
not to ratify the treaty.
• Canada withdrew from it in 2011.
Kyoto Protocol Countries
Green: Signed and Ratified
Orange: Signed and did not Ratify
Red: Signed and Withdrew
Purple: Signed but with no binding targets
The Details
• Under the Protocol, countries commit
themselves to a reduction of four greenhouse
gases (GHG) (carbon dioxide, methane,
nitrous oxide, sulphur hexaflouride)
• Countries also agreed to reduce their
collective greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2%
from the 1990 level.
Is it working?
• The Kyoto Protocol, while well intentioned,
would appear to be doomed to failing its
objectives even before the 2008-2012
averaging period commences.
• Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are
rising at a frightening rate with no sign of
slowing. Global temperatures are continuing
to rise.
Video
• CNN: The History of the Kyoto Protocol
• http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/200
9/12/06/coren.kyoto.backgrounder.cnn
Copenhagen. What is it?
• The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference,
commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit, was
held in Copenhagen, Denmark between 7 December
and 18 December.
• The Copenhagen Accord was drafted by the US, India,
China, Brazil and South Africa on December 18, and
judged a "meaningful agreement" by the United States
government.
• It was "taken note of", but not "adopted", in a debate
of all the participating countries the next day, and it
was not passed unanimously.
The Details
• The document recognized that climate change
is one of the greatest challenges of the
present day and that actions should be taken
to keep any temperature increases to below
2°C.
• The document is not legally binding and does
not contain any legally binding commitments
for reducing CO2 emissions.
Finding Agreements
• Climate change agreements have proved difficult to
achieve because MEDC and LEDC cannot find
agreement on cuts.
• MEDCs are the biggest polluters so should reduce
emissions.
• However, LEDCs say they should be given the right to
develop (and pollute) just like MEDCs have in the past.
• MEDCs argue that this unfair and will give LEDCs a
competitive advantage and that everyone should make
cuts.
Close Reading Activity
• Close read “What did the Copenhagen climate
summit achieve?” from BBC News. (8 min)
• In elbow partners discuss the questions (3
minutes):
– What was the most important thing Copenhagen
changed about how we combat climate change?
– What is the most important thing Copenhagen did
not change about how we combat climate
change?
Essential Questions Revisited
Use evidence from Kyoto and Copenhagen to discuss
these questions with elbow partners. (4 minutes)
• How successful have we been at the global
level to combat climate change?
• What stands in the way of having greater
commitment at the global scale?