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Environmental Law Assignment 1

The document discusses three topics: the Kyoto Protocol which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth Summit in 1992 which led to agreements on climate change and indigenous lands, and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 covering issues like poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality and more.

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Bhavadharani Sakthi
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23 views

Environmental Law Assignment 1

The document discusses three topics: the Kyoto Protocol which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth Summit in 1992 which led to agreements on climate change and indigenous lands, and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 covering issues like poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality and more.

Uploaded by

Bhavadharani Sakthi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

ASSIGNMENT
SUBMITTED BY:
S.BHAVADHARANI
B.COM LLB (H)
SEMESTER - 10
A70621619005

TOPIC: Short notes on

I. Kyoto Protocol
II. Earth Summit
III. 17 SDG’s

Kyoto Protocol
It is an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Kyoto Protocol applies to 6
greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons,
and sulfur hexafluoride. It is an extension of the 1992 UNFCCC. Kyoto Protocol is based on the
principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, keeping in mind the socio-economic
development of the concerned countries and the polluter pays principle. It is one of the important
international environment protocols.
The protocol’s first commitment period started in 2008 and ended in 2012. 36 countries had
participated in the first commitment period. 9 countries opted for flexibility mechanisms since their
national emissions were greater than their targets. Hence these countries funded emissions
reductions in other countries.

Although the 36 developed countries had reduced their emissions, global emissions increased by 32
% from 1990 to 2010. The financial crisis of 2007-08 was one of the major contributors to the
reduction in emissions.

Features:

1. It is legally binding
2. Only members of UNFCCC can become parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
3. Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the 3rd session of UNFCCC
4. To meet the targets of the Kyoto Protocol, member countries cannot include international
shipping and international aviation
5. Countries can use Land Use (LU), land-use change (LUC), and Forestry to meet their Kyoto
targets.
India at the Kyoto Protocol

1. India was exempted from legally binding commitments on greenhouse gas emissions.
2. India emphasized on the differentiation between developed and developing nations
concerning the burden of responsibility for climate action.
3. India successfully defended its obligation on socio-economic development while
concurrently forcing developed countries of the Annex I category to take more
responsibilities on curtailing greenhouse gas emissions.
After the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ended, an amendment i.e. changes was
carried out to the Kyoto Protocol. This amendment talks about emission reduction targets for the
second commitment period. The 2nd commitment period ranges from 2012-2020.

Rio Earth Summit


The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as
the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, Rio Summit, Rio Conference, and Earth Summit (Portuguese:
ECO92), was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from 3 to 14 June
1992. 172 governments participated, with 116 sending their heads of state or government.
Some 2,400 representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended, with 17,000
people at the parallel NGO “Global Forum” (also called Forum Global), who had Consultative
Status. A significant accomplishment of the summit was an agreement on the Climate Change
Convention which in turn led to the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Another agreement
was “not to carry out any activities on the lands of indigenous peoples that would
cause environmental degradation or that would be culturally inappropriate”.

IMPORTANT OUTCOMES

The Rio Summit 1992 is also called the Earth Summit. This summit led to the development of the
following documents:

1. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development


2. Agenda 21
3. Forest Principles
The first document called the Rio Declaration, in short, contained 27 principles that were supposed
to guide countries in future sustainable development. Agenda 21 is an action plan concerning
sustainable development, but it is non-binding. The Forest Principles is formally called ‘Non-
Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management,
Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests’. It makes
many recommendations for conservation and sustainable development forestry and is non-binding.

17 Sustainable Development Goals:


The Sustainable Development Goals agenda was accepted by all members of the United Nations in
2012 at the Rio De Janeiro Council Meet with an aim to promote a healthy and developed future of
the planet and its people. It was in 2015 when the Sustainable Development Goals were
implemented after a successful fifteen-year plan of development called the Millennium
Development Goals.
It is a group of 17 goals with 169 targets and 304 indicators, as proposed by the United Nation
General Assembly’s Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by
2030.

The 17 goals under the Sustainable Development Goals are as mentioned below:

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere


2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all at all stages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities
for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment and decent work for all
9. Built resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster
innovation
10. Reduce inequalities within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern
13. Take urgent actions to combat climate change and its impact
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managed
forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity
loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to
justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable
development.

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