Major International Environmental Agreements
The international agreements most frequently asked about under the "Environmental Issues" tag in Patwari's GK-India section — UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement — are given here with their year and key point.
- GK-India · Environmental Issues
- 5 min read
From the UNFCCC to the Paris Agreement
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was created at the "Earth Summit" held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1992, and it forms the basis of all subsequent climate agreements (the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement). The COP (Conference of Parties) held every year is a meeting of the member countries of this very UNFCCC.
The Kyoto Protocol (1997, Japan) set, for the first time, legally binding emission-reduction targets for developed countries. The Paris Agreement (2015, COP21, France) set the goal of limiting the rise in global temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels (and to 1.5°C if possible) — India ratified it in October 2016.
Major Environmental Agreements
| Agreement | Year and Place | Key Point |
|---|---|---|
| UNFCCC | 1992, Rio de Janeiro (Earth Summit) | The founding framework for all global negotiations on climate change |
| Kyoto Protocol | 1997, Kyoto (Japan) | Binding emission-reduction targets for developed countries |
| Paris Agreement | 2015, COP21, Paris (France) | Limiting the temperature rise to below 2°C (target 1.5°C); ratified by India in 2016 |
Exam Tip
Keep the "UNFCCC" and the annual "COP" conference held under it separate in your mind — the UNFCCC is the founding treaty (1992), while COP21 (2015) was the 21st annual conference held under it, at which the Paris Agreement was reached. Remember the agreement's year together with the COP number.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was the Paris Agreement reached?+
At the COP21 conference held in Paris (France) in December 2015; India ratified it in October 2016.
When was the UNFCCC established?+
In 1992 at the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
In which year was the Kyoto Protocol adopted?+
In 1997 in the city of Kyoto, Japan; it was the first to impose binding emission targets on developed countries.
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