South Asian Journalists Discuss Climate Change Ahead of Key Global Talks

New Delhi, Sept 19, 2013 – South Asian Media Briefing on Climate Change was held in Delhi on 18 September at the India Habitat Centre, bringing together around 100 journalists from across South Asia for a two-day event. Organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, the briefing took place ahead of discussions for the 2015 climate treaty at this year’s Conference of Parties (CoP) in Poland. It aimed to share the latest updates on climate negotiations, politics, science, and the effects of climate change in the region.

The organisers emphasised the urgency of a legally binding climate treaty, warning that the world is moving further into the “danger zone.” They described the ongoing negotiations in Poland as “blind” and stressed the need for immediate global action.

In the mid-1980s, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey discovered a hole in the ozone layer, which had begun depleting in the 1970s. A similar issue was reported over the North Pole. The depletion exposed humans to harmful UV rays, posing serious health risks. The main cause was chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals used in aerosol sprays, refrigeration, air-conditioning, plastic foams, and cleaning solvents. The chlorine in CFCs was found to be responsible for the damage to the ozone layer.

In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed to phase out substances responsible for ozone depletion. Later, countries switched to hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), a less harmful but still damaging alternative. Developed nations phased out CFCs by 2000 and aim to phase out HCFCs by 2020. Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, pointed out that companies have profited first from CFCs and now from their replacements, calling the ongoing battle over these chemicals a “virtual war.”

According to the World Resources Institute’s Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT), the USA, with less than 5% of the world’s population, accounted for 17% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2010. India, with nearly 18% of the world’s population, contributed 5% of emissions, while China led with 27%, despite having 20% of the population. Reports from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that electricity and heat production contributed 41% of global carbon dioxide emissions, making them the largest sources. Transport accounted for 22%, with road transport responsible for 74% and aviation for 7%.

India’s total net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2007 were 1,727.71 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. The energy sector, particularly electricity generation, contributed 65% of these emissions. In the industrial sector, iron and steel production accounted for 28%, cement for 32%, food processing for 7%, and aluminium production for 1%. In agriculture, enteric fermentation (gas from livestock) contributed 63%, rice cultivation 21%, and soil emissions 13% of the sector’s total emissions.

Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), countries align themselves into different groups for negotiations. Some key groups include the European Union (EU) with its 27 member states, the Umbrella Group consisting of Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, and the USA, the G77 and China representing developing nations, and BASIC, which includes Brazil, South Africa, India, and China. Additionally, AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States) and LDC (Least Developed Countries) represent vulnerable island nations and less developed countries.

The Umbrella Group has often resisted emission cuts, arguing that such measures would harm their economic growth. They also insist that major developing economies like China and India should take on emission reductions. The USA refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on these grounds, according to CSE. The EU has positioned itself as a global leader in climate action, but internal political and economic challenges have made this difficult to maintain.

The next Conference of Parties (CoP) will take place in Warsaw, Poland, from 11–22 November 2013. The EU has supported a proposal for a World Leaders Summit on climate change, called by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in the second half of 2014. They hope to secure a decision on this at the Warsaw summit.

 

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