2021-12-19 04:01:26
Draft Resolution on Climate Change: U.N.
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Recently, India and Russia opposed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution on climate change.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Ireland and Niger and it was first proposed by Germany in theUNSC in 2020.
which includes 12 of the 15 UNSC members.
About:
The draft resolution sought to create a formal space in the Security Council for discussions on climate change and its implications on international security.
It also asked that the UN Secretary-Generalprovide periodic reports on how risks from climate change can be addressed to prevent conflicts.
It also asked the Secretary General to appoint a special envoy for climate security.
Further, it asked UN field missions to regularly report on climate change assessments in their areas of operation and take the help of climate experts in carrying out their routine functions
Need:
It has been argued that climate change had an international security dimension.
Climate change-induced food or water shortage, loss of habitat or livelihood, or migration can exacerbate existing conflicts or even create new ones.
Criticism:
Shift from UNFCCC:
India said that it was an attempt to shift climate talks from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to the Security Council and a “step backward” for collective action on the issue.
At the annual climate change conference also, India had forced a last-minute amendment in the final draft agreement to ensure that a provision calling for “phase-out” of coal was changed to “phase-down
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
It discusses all matters related to climate change.
The parties to the UNFCCC — over 190 countries — meet several times every year, including at a two-week year-ending conference like the one at Glasgow, to work on a global approach to combat climate change.
It is this process that has given rise to the Paris Agreement, and its predecessor the Kyoto Protocol, the international instrument that is designed to respond to the climate change crisis.
UNSC does not have Expertise:
It has been argued that the UNFCCC must remain the appropriate forum for addressing all climate change-related issues, and claimed the Security Council does not have the expertise to do so.
Hegemony over Climate Action:
Unlike UNFCCC, where decisions are taken by consensus of all the 190-plus countries, the UNSC would enable climate change decision-making by a handful of developed countries.
The UNSC members are “major contributors to climate change due to historic emissions
Also, the decision of bringing the issue to the security council was made without the involvement of most developing countries and without recognising consensus
Recent Climate Related Measures by India:
An ambitious climate action vision with five elements has been unveiled at COP26.
Taking non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030
Meeting 50% of energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
Reducing total projected carbon emissions by one billion tons by 2030
Reducing the carbon intensity of the economy to less than 45% by 2030
Achieving the target of “net zero” by 2070
India now ranks fourth in terms of installedrenewable energy capacity and non-fossil energy has increased by more than 25% in the past seven years and reached 40% of the total energy mix.
India has also taken the lead in initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA) andCoalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
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