Climate Catch 21 and Kyoto Protocol: A Summary.

·?????? What is climate catch-22 in what circumstances was it introduced.

Patricia Quinn, an Atmospheric Chemist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Remarked in the meeting for Climate Catch-22. That the main objective of this meeting was to discuss the impact of harmful gases in the world and ways to reduce the emission of the same but the problem arises when by reducing these harmful gases and toxins the temperature rises or global warming increases this is because of which the climate catch-22 is termed as a paradoxical scenario. The topics which were tabled in the conference were, Air Pollution and how it is a friend and a foe at the same time. Global Dimming, this is the process which reduces the sunlight which reaches the earth because of small dust particles in the atmosphere which reflects the sunlight back in the space. And matter to reduce sulphur dioxide was also discussed. The main reason for introduction of both the climate catch-22 and the Kyoto protocol was to lessen the production of sulphur dioxide gases and the emission of greenhouse gases which were deteriorating the global air quality from the last few decades. Therefore, making it a paradoxical situation as in respect of climate, reducing the emission of these harmful gases is causing global warming which is another big problem for the world. Hence creating a paradoxical situation. This project mainly will focus on the combat of India with Air pollution and the ways which were adopted by the judiciary to do the needful with landmark case laws.

·?????? The Need for the Kyoto Protocol and its similarity with the climate catch-22

The Kyoto Protocol is the result of a conference which was organized by the United Nations in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997. The importance of this meeting was to draft an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They set a target for the amount of greenhouse gas emission which every country will do and prescribed a unit for the same. The major responsibility was on the developed countries (Annex 1 Countries) to reduce their emissions to 10% since the level of 1990. They further developed mechanisms to reach these target amount. The effect of this United Nations Convention on Climate change on India was that, India fully committed itself to follow the guidelines set up by the UN in the conference but because of it being a developing country, India with other developing countries like China was exempted from the obligations to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In this project we are to understand the effects of the Kyoto protocol in India and its future keeping in mind the Paris agreement of 2015. We will also discuss case laws which will make us understand the domestic implication of the rules set by the judiciary to combat the level of Air Pollution.

·?????? To understand the Paradoxical nature of the climate catch-22.

To merely understand the paradoxical nature of Climate Catch-22, it becomes very important to understand the meaning of the term paradoxical. The term means anything which is self-contradictory in nature or being absurd. This means that when the scientists and the UN is trying to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, the result of this is increase in the global warming. According to the data collected by researchers in China and it has been predicted that the most polluted regions in the world being India and the middle east if they follow the footsteps of China, this will face the same consequences as to what China faced by clearing the sky by limiting the emission of Sulphur dioxide, it has in turn faced rise in its temperature since 2014 of approximately 2 degrees Celsius. The word, catch-22 is taken from the story coined by joseph heller, in which a soldier in World War II wants to relieve himself from his flying duties but according to the army provisions, he cannot be relieved until he proves a ground of mental instability but the catch is that if the soldier is aware of is instability and uses it for the ground to excuse himself from his duties, he becomes stable enough to fly. Therefore, making it a paradoxical situation as in respect of climate, reducing the emission of these harmful gases is causing global warming which is another big problem for the world. Hence creating a paradoxical situation.

·?????? To analyze the implementation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in India.

To support and implement rules in India to follow the guidelines in Kyoto protocol, the central government has constituted a National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA). For the purpose of improving the air quality and reducing the emissions as per the Kyoto protocol. India has second largest number of projects in the world under CDM, this type of development makes it easier to reduce emission generation and meet reduction targets set by the United Nations. it encapsulates every detail of the Kyoto conference and the motive of the conference and even what were the exemptions which were given to the developing countries. Only the concept of CDM was to be followed by the developing countries but not the concepts of reduction of a ten percent in the emission of the carbon dioxide and the already developed countries were needed to reduce their emission rates. Although, even because of the relaxation provided to India, it is still following the guidelines and year by year is trying to control and reduce the amount of emission.

Conclusion

According to the articles, going forward many changes are to be made and rules are to be followed in a more stringent manner as the goal of Climate catch 22 and the Kyoto Protocol held in Japan was to reduce the carbon emission and making the air quality improve across the whole world which would be possible only when the guidelines will be followed by the developing and the developed countries. There has been increase in mining activities and the inspection of the same was authorized by the supreme court to clear up the air and reduce pollution in the air of Delhi, But the rules were not strict for the developing countries as there were a lot of relaxation given to them. In conclusion the Paris Agreement of 2015 also brought different rules to clean up the Air quality which India targets by 2070 to reach its goal. the court decided to stop the activities for a particular amount of time. Aravali Range has to be protected at all costs was the statement in the judgement of this case. Fireworks have also Contributed in the depletion of the Air Quality Index. Even though the climate catch-22 being paradoxical in nature it still holds relevance and although a rise in the temperature can be seen because of the effect of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, but measures are being taken to conquer that as well.