Development of the international climate politics to reduce the emission of human based greenhouse gases and status quo of the emission reduction measures

Travail d'étude , 2009 , 35 Pages , Note: 2

Sciences de l'Environnement

Today the head of states of most countries are aware of the fact that the human-based greenhouse effect is one of the main reasons for global warming and the melting of the ice at the poles. Furthermore they have realized that this will lead to more natural catastrophes, than have already occurred. The scope of the present assignment is to point out what the international climate politics for reducing the human-based greenhouse effect and what is the status quo of emission reduction measures are. Therefore chapter one highlights the fundamentals of the greenhouse effect and which gases trigger it. Especially the carbon dioxide emissions lead to an increased warming of the earth with an amount of 9-26 per cent. The main cause for the greenhouse effect
with approximately 50 per cent is the burning of fossil energy sources like petrol or wood. Chapter two characterizes the development of international climate politics. Beginning in the year 1979 at the first world climate summit a worldwide binding climate
protection was first passed in December 1997 when the United Nations established a protocol at the Nations Conference in Kyoto which has the aim to “stabilize the amount of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”1. The protocol
establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of greenhouse gases. So far 183 states have ratified the protocol. Furthermore three different Kyoto Mechanisms will be explained, that are to help to achieve the agreed climate goals. One of these mechanisms is Emission Trading that is used on the one hand on national level within the Kyoto Protocol and on the other hand on company level. The use on company level is implemented in the European Union Emission Trading System that
will be described in chapter three. By using a cap & trade system the governments of the participant countries try to create incentives for selected sectors to reduce their emission level. This is supposed to be realized by a continuously lowered cap for produced emissions. This lowering is divided in three main phases. The first phase from
2005 to 2007 was a testing phase which covered ~ 50 per cent of the national CO2 emissions. The second phase from 2008 to 2012 reduces the emission allowances and includes other greenhouse gases.The third phase will start in 2013 and will again reduce the emission limits and other sectors such as aviation and...

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
• LIST OF CHEMICAL ABBREVIATIONS
• LIST OF FIGURES
• LIST OF TABLES
• INTRODUCTION
• THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
  • Historical development
  • Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol
  • Burden sharing
  • Kyoto Mechanism
    • Clean Development Mechanism
    • Joint Implementation
    • Emission Trading
• THE EUROPEAN UNION EMISSION TRADING SYSTEM
  • Basic information
  • The Cap & trade system
  • The EU ETS phases
    • Phase I (2005-2007)
    • Phase II (2008-2012)
    • Phase III (2012-2020)
• DEVELOPMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
  • The worldwide trend for carbon dioxide emissions
  • The development in the European Union
  • Development in Germany
• CONCLUSION
• APPENDIX A
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• DECLARATION IN LIEU OF OATH
• ITM-CHECKLIST

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This assignment aims to analyze the development of international climate politics in reducing human-based greenhouse gas emissions and to assess the current status of emission reduction measures. It examines the historical evolution of climate agreements, focusing on the Kyoto Protocol and its mechanisms, as well as the implementation of the European Union Emission Trading System. The assignment also explores the global trends in carbon dioxide emissions and the specific developments in the European Union and Germany.

• The greenhouse effect and its causes
• The development of international climate politics
• The Kyoto Protocol and its mechanisms
• The European Union Emission Trading System
• The status quo of emission reduction measures

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The first chapter introduces the fundamentals of the greenhouse effect and the gases that contribute to it. It highlights the significant role of carbon dioxide emissions in global warming and explores the primary sources of these emissions, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.

Chapter two delves into the historical development of international climate politics, tracing the evolution of global climate agreements from the first World Climate Summit in 1979 to the establishment of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. It examines the protocol's objectives, legally binding commitments, and the ratification process. The chapter also explains the three Kyoto Mechanisms: Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, and Emission Trading, which aim to facilitate the achievement of climate goals.

Chapter three focuses on the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS), a cap-and-trade system designed to incentivize emission reductions in specific sectors. It describes the system's basic principles, the cap-and-trade mechanism, and the three phases of its implementation. The chapter outlines the key features of each phase, including the emission allowances, the inclusion of additional greenhouse gases, and the transition to a system without free allowances.

Chapter four analyzes the current status of international emission reduction measures, highlighting the need for global participation, particularly from major emitters like the United States. It uses Germany as a case study, showcasing its successful reduction of emissions in 2007 compared to 1990 levels.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include greenhouse effect, climate change, global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, fossil fuels, international climate politics, Kyoto Protocol, Kyoto Mechanisms, Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, Emission Trading, European Union Emission Trading System, cap-and-trade system, emission reduction measures, and status quo.

• Université: University of Applied Sciences Essen
• Note: 2
• Auteur: Dennis Ducke (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2009
• Pages: 35
• N° de catalogue: V141665
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640494705
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640494897
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: FOM, MBA, ITM-Checklist, Executive summary, Kyoto Mechanism, KYOTO PROTOCOL, Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, Emission Trading, EUROPEAN UNION EMISSION TRADING SYSTEM, carbon dioxide