RPL SPEECH (ACT OR ADAPT):

Human activity is changing the Earth’s climate in ways “unprecedented” in thousands of hundreds of
years, with some of the changes now inevitable and “irreversible”, climate scientists have warned.
Within the next two decades, temperatures are likely to rise by more than 1.5C above pre-industrial
levels, breaching the ambition of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and bringing widespread devastation
and extreme weather. But there is still one last chance to shift course, with industrialized nations
joining together immediately to slash greenhouse gases roughly in half by 2030 and then stop adding
CO2 to the atmosphere altogether by the early 2050s. If these two steps were taken, the world
would have about a 50% chance of limiting warming to 1.5C. The priority is and must be, to tackle
the root cause by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities and adapting to
those impacts that are unavoidable. Mitigation of climate change, by reducing emissions and
protecting natural carbon sinks, remains the surest way of increasing our chances of avoiding
dangerous climate change in the future. Hence, creating policies, collaborating with various
organizations and countries, and developing technologies to adapt to the ongoing climate crisis has
proven to be the most reasonable solution.

“The 1.5 degree limit is achievable, but it will take a quantum leap in climate action,” António
Guterres, the United Nations secretary general.

RPL SPEECH 2:

Through the US Department of Energy’s Waterpower Technology Office, Bioenergy Technologies

Office, and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office through the Energy Department of the US,
working to develop new storage technologies for issues regarding sustainable energy usage- from
supporting research on battery storage at the National Labs to making investments that take startup
concepts to grid-scale solutions. Along with this, through initiatives like the Loan Programs Office
and the Advanced Research Projects Agency, the department funds cutting-edge research and the
deployment of innovative clean energy technologies. At least 18 countries, including the US, have
managed to reduce their emissions for more than a decade, with the costs of solar panels, wind
turbines, and lithium-ion batteries for EVs have plummeted.

FD SPEECH 1:

The UN defines “sustainable development” as “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition
goes far beyond just environmental concerns: it also looks at economic prosperity, water and food
access, education, and other needs that contribute to people’s quality of life. However, sustainability
often becomes diluted and misunderstood. Issues such as greenwashing and supply chains
promoting false sustainability undermine credible efforts to reduce emissions and address the
climate crisis. By misleading the public to believe that a company or other entity is doing more to
protect the environment than it is, greenwashing promotes false solutions to the climate crisis. As
the Biden administration continues to push for climate change to be a top priority more advocacy
groups and businesses are honing in on greenwashing as a problem the government needs to
address. The Biden administration is taking more action to crack down on greenwashing, including
creating new climate change units at financial agencies like the Treasury Department, Federal
Reserve, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. In
the United States, several laws and regulations govern environmental regulation and advertising.
This includes: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act (1914): The FTC Act prohibits "unfair or deceptive
acts or practices in commerce," including false or misleading environmental claims. The SEC since
2021 has also focused on prosecuting ESG-related misconduct and "greenwashing", bringing
enforcement actions and levying fines.(US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION)

RPL SPEECH:

The U.S. nationally determined contribution sets a target of reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
by 50 to 52 percent by 2030. The United States' Sustainability Plan includes a host of ambitious goals
to reduce the federal government's carbon footprint and inclines towards net-zero emissions by
A2050. The government of the USA has passed the Inflation Reduction Act to combat the climate
crisis while improving energy security. Over 26 billion dollars through the Infrastructure Act support
nature-based solutions, including over 2.1 billion for ecosystem restoration activities, and over 3.3
billion for wildfire risk reductions along with almost 20 billion to support the uptake of climate-smart
agricultural practices. It is also important to note that a clean energy revolution is taking place across
America, underscored by the steady expansion of the US renewable energy sector. The clean energy
industry successfully generates hundreds of billions in economic activity and is expected to continue
growing in the coming years. Responsible development of all of America’s rich energy resources like-
solar, wind, water, geothermal, bioenergy, and nuclear will help ensure America’s continued
leadership in clean energy.

RPL DAY 2:

Adaptation involves adjusting to actual or expected future climate. The goal is to reduce our risks
from the harmful effects of climate change. It also includes making the most of any potential
beneficial opportunities associated with climate change. While climate change is a global issue, it is
felt on a local scale, local governments are therefore at the frontline of adaptation. According to the
2014 report on Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability from the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, governments at various levels are also getting better at
adaptation. On the international stage, President Biden worked with E.U. counterparts to rally more
than 100 countries to join the Global Methane Pledge, a new partnership to reduce super-polluting
methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides historic
resources for upgrading the power grid, improving public transit, and investing in zero-emission
transit and school buses, installing a nationwide EV charging network, cleaning up legacy pollution,
replacing lead pipes, and delivering clean water.

CONUNDRUM:

The COP28 summit to help identify global solutions for limiting global rise temperature rise to 1.5C.

Discrimination against women and girls is accepted as an inevitable part of everyday life in North
Korea. Social structures and conventions that discriminate against women are also reflected in
socially enforced rules of interaction between girls and boys. Empowering women and girls in
developing countries ranked second among 76 solutions for curbing global warming to 2 degrees
Celsius, according to a new report by the climate research organization Project Drawdown. It is
important to understand that if we want to achieve the Paris Agreement goal, we need everyone on
board.

A reparative stance for climate change policy begins with granting reparations for Black Americans
and advancing land reclamation for Native Americans—first as a moral responsibility, but also as an
adaptation response to minimize climate change impacts for some of the most vulnerable.
USA understands that the need to advance environmental justice for all by implementing and
enforcing the Nation’s environmental and civil rights laws, preventing pollution, addressing climate
change and its effects, and working to clean up legacy pollution that is harming human health and
the environment. The Federal Government continues to remove barriers to the meaningful
involvement of the public in such decision-making, particularly those barriers that affect members of
communities with environmental justice concerns. With policies such as administration to pursue a
whole-of-government approach to environmental justice. Policies such as Executive Order 13985
advance racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government.
The USA has made constant efforts to strengthen the US justice system and does not advocate for
racial inequality. It has raised public awareness regarding this issue and the citizens of America are
now working towards changing their ways at an individual level. A reparative stance for climate
change policy begins with granting reparations for Black Americans and advancing land reclamation
for Native Americans—first as a moral responsibility, but also as an adaptation response to minimize
climate change impacts for some of the most vulnerable.

USA has made efforts to successfully implement the following policies and acts:

 EPA is implementing CO2 emission standards for airplanes used in commercial aviation and
for large business jets. These standards are consistent with international standards set by
the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization.
 EPA implements several health protection acts that affect power plants and reduce
conventional air pollutants through the Acid Rain Program (ARP), the interstate air pollution
transport programs, and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). As a result of these
programs, fossil fuel-fired electric generating units reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide
(SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and hazardous air pollutants, including mercury (Hg), to
protect human health and the environment—and in doing so often adopt measures that
reduce CO2 emissions as well.
 Clean energy is by far the biggest job creator in America’s energy sector, with over 3 million
Americans employed in clean energy jobs during 2021 earning wages 25% over the national
median.

Acts such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act are two of the most
significant acts passed by the US government to work towards net-zero emissions and energy
security.

With the rise of e-commerce, there are more product and shopping choices than ever. Supply chain
technologies such as AI and machine learning can help businesses spot risks, patterns, and
opportunities allowing them to minimize waste and improve efficiency.

Using raw materials more efficiently, recycling, and reducing packaging, helps you reduce both your
carbon emissions and your costs. But with smart, cloud-connected supply chain and business
solutions, you can go one step further – you can build greener methods into your products and
manufacturing process from the designer’s drawing board to the customer’s front door.

Incorporate climate-smart farming methods. Farmers can use climate forecasting tools, plant cover
crops, and take other steps to help manage climate-related production threats.

Reduce runoff. Agricultural producers can strategically apply fertilizers, keep their animals out of
streams, and take more actions to reduce nutrient-laden runoff.
Low-carbon energy sources like biomass, hydrogen, or electricity could substitute for fossil fuels in
providing process heat for industry.

Carbon capture, use, and sequestration (CCUS) is another option that could allow industry to
continue using the energy sources they rely on while reducing or eliminating the CO2 they emit.
Once captured, the CO2 could be sequestered in geologic formations or could be used in products.