Limiting Warming Below 1.8°C

• 16 Feb 2023

For Prelims: UN-mandated Paris Agreement, Sea level rise, Greenland ice sheets, Net-zero carbon emissions, Greenhouse gases, Marine heatwave, UPSC, IAS, Civil Services Examination.

For Mains: Issues Related to Climate Change, Initiatives for Climate Change Mitigation.

Why in News?

According to a recent study published in Nature Communications, limiting global temperature rise to the UN-mandated Paris Agreement target of 2 degrees Celsius is probably insufficient to prevent an accelerated sea level rise over the next century.

What Does the Recent Study on Rising Temperature Suggest?

• The study suggests that if global temperatures rise above 1.8°C, the world could see an irreversible loss of the west Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, leading to a rapid sea level rise.
• Scientists studying Antarctica’s vast Thwaites Glacier (Doomsday Glacier) say warm water is seeping into its weak spots, worsening melting caused by rising temperatures.
  • Using an underwater robot vehicle known as Icefin, mooring data and sensors, they monitored the glacier’s grounding line, where ice slides off the glacier and meets the ocean for the first time.
• The study highlights that reaching net-zero carbon emissions before 2060 is critical to avoid this catastrophe.
• By 2150, global sea level rise is estimated to increase by roughly 1.4, 0.5, and 0.2 metres under high, mid, and low-emission scenarios, respectively.

What are the Major Catastrophic Events Caused by Climate Change?

• About:
  • As the Earth's temperature increases, ice caps and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate. The melting of land-based ice, such as glaciers and ice caps, contributes to sea level rise as the water from melting ice flows into the ocean.
  • The rise in temperature is primarily due to the increase in in greenhouse gases the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide, resulting from human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
• Major Event:
  • Increase in Concentration of Greenhouse Gases:
    • The concentrations of three main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and Nitrous oxide (NO₂), were all at record highs in 2021.
    • The emissions of methane, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in causing global warming, in fact, increased at the fastest pace ever.
  • Temperature:
    • The global average temperature in 2022 is estimated to be about 1.15 °C above the 1850-1900 average.
    • La Niña (a cooling of sea-surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean) conditions have dominated since late 2020.
  • Sea Level Rise:
    • Global mean sea level has risen by an estimated 3.4 ± 0.3 mm per year over the 30 years (1993-2022) of the satellite altimeter record.
  • Ocean Heat:
    • Overall, 55% of the ocean surface experienced at least one marine heatwave in 2022.
  • Extreme Weather:
    • In East Africa, rainfall has been below average in four consecutive wet seasons, the longest in 40 years, with indications that the current season could also be dry.
      • The flooding came hard on the heels of an extreme heatwave in both India and Pakistan in 2022.

What are the Steps taken to tackle Climate change?

• National:
  • NAPCC:
    • To counter the emerging threats from climate change, India released its National Action Plan to Combat Climate Change (NAPCC).
    • It has 8 sub missions including National Solar Mission, National Water Mission etc.
  • India Cooling Action Plan:
    • It provides an integrated approach towards cooling and related areas including reduction in the cooling demand.
      • This would help reduce emissions thereby combating global warming.
• Global:
  • Paris Agreement:
    • It seeks to keep the rise in global temperatures “well below” 2°C from pre-industrial times, while “pursuing efforts” to limit it to 1.5°C.
  • UN SDGs:
    • These are 17 broad goals for achieving sustainable development in the society. Amongst them Goal 13 exclusively focuses on tackling climate change.
  • Glasgow Pact:
    • It was finally adopted by 197 parties in 2021 during the COP26 negotiations.
    • It has emphasised that stronger action in the current decade was most critical for achieving the 1.5-degree target.
  • Sharm-El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda (at COP 27):
    • It outlines 30 Adaptation Outcomes to enhance resilience for 4 billion people living in the most climate vulnerable communities by 2030.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q.1 Which of the following best describes/describe the aim of ‘Green India Mission’ of the Government of India? (2016)

1. Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing the ‘green accounting’.
2. Launching the second green revolution to enhance agricultural output so as to ensure food security to one and all in the future.
3. Restoring and enhancing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only 
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (c)

Q2. With reference to ‘Global Climate Change Alliance’, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2017)

1. It is an initiative of the European Union.
2. It provides technical and financial support to targeted developing countries to integrate climate change into their development policies and budgets.
3. It is coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (a)

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Mains

Q.1 Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (2021)

Q.2 ‘Climate Change’ is a global problem. How will India be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India be affected by climate change? (2017)

Source: DTE