Table of Contents
Introduction
Climate change has been threatening the nations for long period of time. The impact of climate change is felt worldwide with flood, droughts, cyclones, tsunami, etc. The impact of the climate change is more on the less developed nations comparing with the developed nations because the developed and industrialised nations have the mean to look after damages caused by the climate change and not in the case of less developed nations. Environmental justice tries to solve these disparities, by including all the nations in the decision-making process on the climate change and the country which contribute more to the climate change are responsible to control the adverse effects of climate change. This blog will address the steps that are taken to handle the climate change, policies governing environmental justice.
Conventions and Policies governing the Climate Change and Environmental Justice
There are various conventions, treaties, agreements and national level policies entered into between the nations and by the governments respectively for combating climate change. Most of the conventions require the developed nations and industrialised countries to take responsibility to combat global warming as they are the main contributors of the green house gases. However, they are not ready to take the responsibility to take the charge and they require every country to contribute equally to the effort. It is not accepted by the less developed nations because they face the effects of climate change which is not created by them but by other developed nations. It is not fair and adequate has they have no means to face the effects of climate change. Every individual has a right to live their life with healthy and sustainable environment. It is ensured by several conventions, agreements and policies to protect the rights of the vulnerable people in less developed nations.
United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change (UNFCCC)
This convention was adopted in 1992. The aim of this convention is to stabilise the green house gas concentration in atmosphere at the optimal level that does not further affect the ozone level. More than 190 countries signed the convention. Key points of this convention are
- Developed nations are having major role in controlling the climate change and its impact
- Developed nations should share technology to combat the climate change at low cost to developing and less developed nations
- There is a need of an international mechanism to supervise the effective implementation of the decisions of the convention
- Additional financial resources should be generated to combat the climate change.
Major drawback of this convention is that it lacked strict implementation mechanism. Specific targets and timeline for achieving the targets are not provided.
Paris Agreement
Paris Agreement was entered into force on 2016 and it is ratified by 195 countries. The aim is to reduce the green house gas emission. The global warming should be below 2 decree Celsius and affects should be made to reduce below 1.5 decree Celsius. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the targets and measures that are set by each member nation to the agreement to achieve the reduction in green house gas emissions. Every nation has to strictly follow the targets that are set otherwise they are liable to penalty.
Policies governing Environment Justice
Many developed nations and international organisations like United Nations have evolved many policies to ensure environment justice in combating the climate change. The UNFCCC’s Adaptation Fund, helps the vulnerable people who are at the chance of being affects by the climate changes with financial resources to set up facilities that help in adoption of the adverse effects of climate change.
[1]Green Climate Fund is also created by UNFCCC in 2010 by 194 member countries. The aim of this fund is to mobilise funds to invest in low greenhouse gas emitting developments. The focus is on the societies vulnerable to effects of climate change in less developed nations and Island nations.
The Environmental Justice Act of 2019, was enacted in United States of America directing all the Federal agencies in the country to take decisions based on the equity and justice to the vulnerable people and also impact of allowing the decisions taken and impact of not allowing it. It requires all the Federal agencies to take decision on laws, regulations, notifications to promote environment justice.
European Union is also having a similar kind of guidelines called Environmental Justice Strategy. It aims to reduce the adverse effects of climate change. Vulnerable people are required to be protected from natural disasters. It has strict regulatory mechanism for implementation of the rules and specific targets are set up for that purpose.
Both The Environmental Justice Act of 2019 and Environmental Justice Strategy shows the importance of integrating environmental justice in decision making process. Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund helps in empowering the vulnerable people to make infrastructure facility to withstand the climate change.
Conclusion
Both climate change and environment justice are to be carried together for the effective control of the climate change with ensuring fair and inclusive development of the nations. Developed nations and industrial nations have the greater responsibility to control climate change and they should support the less developed nations with financial resources and technology.
[1] Mariana Arcaya, Elizabeth Gribkoff, Climate Justice, CLIMATE PORTAL (Oct. 1, 2023), https://climateportal.com/climate-justice.
Richa Chauhan, Climate Change: An Issue of Equity, Justice and Human Rights, 13 ILI L. Rev. II (Winter 2019), https://ili.ac.in/pdf/rch.pdf.
Paul Cairney, Irina Timonina & Hannes Stephan, how can policy and policymaking foster climate justice? A qualitative systematic review, Open Res Eur (Oct. 10, 2023), https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.15719.2.
What is climate change? A really simple guide, BBC (Feb. 8, 2023), https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51720064.
Author :- Monica R
Sastra Deemed University
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