Environmental Legislations

SHAMIN MUTH KKASSISTANT PROFESSORMECHANICAL ENGG.

Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Protocols

What is a Multilateral Environmental Agreement…??

• Its is a legal binding agreement between two or more nations which contains commitments to meet specific environmental objectives.

• It is a powerful tool for implementation of various environmental

protection aspects by the fellow nationsSHAMINMUTH KK

The Stockholm Convention

• It was held at Sweden in June 1972.

• The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

• POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods,

• They become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife.

• POPs circulate globally and can cause damage wherever they travel. SHAMINMUTH KK

The Stockholm Convention (Cont..)

• In implementing the Convention, Governments will take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment.

• Over 150 countries signed the Convention and it entered into force, on 17 May 2004, 90 days after the ratification by the fiftieth country.

• The Stockholm Convention focuses on eliminating or reducing releases of 12 POPs, the so-called "Dirty Dozen".

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First World Climate Conference

• The First World Climate Conference was held on February 1979 in Geneva and sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization.

• It was one of the first major international meetings on climate change. • The Conference led to the

establishment of the World Climate Programme and the World Climate Research Programme.

• It also led to the creation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

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Brundtland Report• Formally known as the World Commission

on Environment and Development (WCED), the Brundtland Commission's mission is to unite countries to pursue sustainable development together.

The report deals with sustainable development and the change of politics needed for achieving it.

"Sustainable development is developmentthat meets the needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of future generationsto meet their own needs".

It contains two key concepts:• The concept of "needs", to which priority should be given;• The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology

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The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)

• Was held in Rio de Janeiro on June 1992 and around 172 countries participated.

• The issues addressed included:

Systematic scrutiny of patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline, or poisonous waste including radioactive chemicals

Alternative sources of energy to replace the use of fossil fuels which are linked to global climate change

New reliance on public transportation systems in order to reduce vehicle emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smoke.

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The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

"stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system“

UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty. The objective of the treaty is to:

It conducts yearly conferences known as Conference of Parties (COPs) to assess the progress in dealing with climate change.

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Kyoto ProtocolIs an international treaty, which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, based on the premise that

(a) global warming exists (b) man-made CO2 emissions have caused it.• The Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan

and entered into force on 16 February 2005. There are currently 192 Parties to the Protocol.

• The Kyoto Protocol implemented the objective of the UNFCCC to fight global warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

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Emissions trading

Emissions trading is a market-based approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants

A central authority sets a cap (Permissible limit) on the amount

of a pollutant that may be emitted.

The limit is allocated by the authority to firms in the form of

emissions permits

Emissions permits : It’s the right to emit or

discharge a specific volume of the specified

pollutant.

These permits can then be traded on secondary

markets.

The buyer pays a charge for polluting,

while the seller gains a reward for

having reduced emissions.

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Carbon Credits

Carbon credits are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e)and may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases:

i. Carbon dioxide (CO2), ii. Methane (CH4), iii. Nitrous oxide (N2O), iv. Per fluorocarbons (PFCs), v. Hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), and vi. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

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Carbon Credits

A carbon credit is a financial instrument that represents a tone of CO2 removed or reduced from the atmosphere from an emission reduction project, which can be used, by governments, industry or private individuals to offset damaging carbon emissions that they are generating.

What are Carbon Credits ?

How are Carbon Credits used?

Carbon credits are associated with either removing existing CO2 from the atmosphere (carbon sequestration from forests and planting of trees or the reduction of future CO2)

CO2e emissions from renewable energy and energy efficiency projects (that displace fossil fuel power generation production or industrial processes.)

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Where do Carbon Credits come from?

Carbon Credits

Carbon credits originate from a range of emission reduction activities associated with the removal of existing emissions from the atmosphere and the reduction of future emissions.

These are commonly called "methodologies".I. Afforestation and reforestation activitiesII. Use of renewable sources of energyIII. Carbon credits created while construction of a wind farm

Carbon credits originated through these emission reduction activities can be used for a variety of market mechanisms and schemes.

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Carbon Credits

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Principle: Developed countries can invest in abatement opportunities in developing countries and receive credits for resulting credits.

This can reduce the need for developing countries to invest in more expensive mitigation projects within their own borders.

What is its purpose..?

1. To assist Annex 1 parties to stick with their emission limitation and reduction commitments.

2. To assist the non-Annex 1 parties in contributing to conventions ultimate objective

3. To assist the non-Annex 1 parties in achieving sustainable development.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

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Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the flexible Mechanisms defined in the Kyoto Protocol

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Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

• The parties participating in CDM should appoint a national authority for CDM

• Based on the CDM project cycle a project proposal that contains the written approval showing the voluntary participation of the parties has to be included.

• This authority should confirm that the project activity assists their country in achieving sustainable development.

National CDM Authority (MoEF)

Powers of National CDM Authority

• To invite officials and experts from governmental, NGO, legal profession, industry, commerce etc. based on need.

• To interact with the concerned authorities regarding CDM.

• Taking up any environmental issues related to CDM or sustainable development.

• To provide guidelines to GOI for consideration of projects.

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Advantages of CDM

1. CDM is considered as a new source of funding for environmental friendly projects.

Positive contribution to local environment. Contributions to economy generating positive social impacts. Encourage foreign investments in low emission technologies.

2. Provides future benefits for project developers which motivates the main developers.

Enables proposal of better quality projects. Avoids marginalization of supplies. Materialization of companies social and environmental policies.

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Disadvantages of CDM

× Additionality, transaction cost and bottlenecks: Additionality is difficult to prove and is subjected to vigorous debates.

× Incentives : Aim of gaining credits is not focus on emission reduction but mainly on earning credits.

× Legal resistance: Local resistance for the implementation of project is a big challenge.