Climate Change and the UNFCCC: Objectives, Decision Making Analysis

This report provides a detailed analysis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It examines the issue of climate change being addressed by the UNFCCC, referencing specific articles and paragraphs within the UNFCCC document, alongside other relevant resources such as the IPCC Synthesis Report 2014 and academic journal articles. Furthermore, the report delves into the objectives and decision-making parameters of the UNFCCC, drawing on chapter 5 of a textbook on Policy Analysis. The analysis covers key aspects of climate change, including the impacts of rising global temperatures, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events. It also explores the UNFCCC's role in mitigation and adaptation strategies, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and sustainable development. The report concludes by highlighting the UNFCCC's efforts to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations and promote global action to combat climate change, addressing the challenges and uncertainties associated with climate change projections.

Running head: CLIMATE CHANGE 1
Climate change
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Introduction
Being one of the driest and hottest regions on sphere, Australia will be specifically adversely
influenced by the weather change. Unmitigated climate variation poses a considerable peril to the
Australia’s natural existence, way of life and economic security (Althaus, Bridgman & Davis,
2013). The accountability for addressing the weather change is shared mutually among three
levels of the Australia regime- the Australian government, the regime of the six states and two
territories and approximately 700 local regime authorities. Australia’s populace is comparatively
small, at around 21.8 million. Thus, the contribution to the international greenhouse discharges is
also comparatively trivial, approximately 1.5% (Kartha, 2016). On the other hand, Australia’s
per capita greenhouse gas releases are the utmost of any OECD nation and are amid the
uppermost in the biosphere. It is due in part to the dominance of resource-centered industries in
nation’s economy and its dependence on low-cost fossil energy (Wolfram, Wiedmann &
Diesendorf, 2016).
In many people’s view, global warming is projected to influence the accessibility of the essential
commodity such as energy, fresh water, and food security. The exertions to restore the weather
variations, both through the mitigation and adaptation, will similarly shape and design the global
growth agenda. The connections between sustainable development and weather changes are
robust. The developing nations will severely be affected and least capacity to cope with the
projected shocks to their economic, social and natural systems due to climate change (Gerrard,
2012).
International warming is by now having considerable and expensive effects on societies, health
and environment (Cahill et al., 2013). Desertification is a kind of land deprivation by which land
becomes raider. As the climate varies, numerous zones start to experience diverse climate

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patterns. In various dryland parts, the weather is becoming even arider, and rivers are drying up.
With environment alteration, global biomass also adjusts through modifications in their sorts and
species confirmation. This can have critical influences not only on the physical process but also
on bionetwork function. Mean international sea level has upsurge eight inches ever since 1880
(Drake, 2014). Global heating is now hastening at the rate of sea-level upsurge, rising flooding
risk to low-lying societies and high-risk coastal assets whose progress has been motivated by the
current's flood insurance scheme. While hurricanes are the usual portion of the climate scheme,
the latest research shows that their damaging power or strength has been escalating ever since the
1970s. Dangerous hot conditions are already occurring more often than it did 60 years ago and
researcher believes heat surfs to become more recurrent and severe as international warming
deepens. This upsurge in heatwaves builds severe health perils and can lead to heat fatigue,
heatstroke, and worsen current medical situations.
In 1992, UNFCCC was signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, comprising the foundational weather pact that has offered the platform for the
other subsequent globe climate agreements. For instance, the UNFCCC initiated the rise of the
Paris agreement and the Kyoto protocol. One hundred ninety-seven nations ratified the
UNFCCC. In the content and assembly, the body is designed as a framework convention, just
like the Vienna conventions for the protection of the Ozone layers. The multilateral treaties are
currently developed in a routine that starts with a framework pact, where the bodies recognize
the presence of concern or threat, and then devotes to cooperative process, without undertaking
significant obligations. As the consensus and knowledge advance within this framework, the pact
is supplemented by many protocols and amendment imposing more precise and more stringent
requirements slowly on the agreement parties (Abas, Kalair, Khan & Kalair, 2017). The

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Convention at Vienna did not unswervingly enact regulations on ozone-depleting materials.
However, it generated a routine for the information collection and the negotiation of a later pact;
the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer having specific emission limits.
Moreover, the organization have minimal specific needs, and notably, no enforceable
necessitates for the signatories to minimize the GHGs emissions. The parties announced an
objective of GHG concentrations stabilization in the atmosphere at a degree that would avert any
anthropogenic interference with the weather structure. The developed nations parties agree to
adopt nations rules to prevent climate change with the focus of returning the concentration to
their 1990s anthropogenic discharges of the GHGs. The organization was structured primarily as
a way to start and support a routine for future, and more comprehensive, pacts on how to react to
climate modifications (Ashnani, Johari, Hashim & Hasani, 2014).
In the agenda for sustainable development for 2030, the member’s nations expressed their
devotion to safeguard the globe from the degradation and take strict measure on climate change.
In paragraph four, the agenda also pinpoints the climate variations as one of the hugest concerns
in the current era, and apprehensions about its severe effects undermine the capability of all
nations to realizes sustainable growth. Rise in the global temperature, ocean acidification, rise in
the sea level, and other climate variations effects are seriously influencing the coastal zones and
low-lying coastal nations, encompassing several least developed republics and Small Island
Developing nations. Therefore, the existence of several communities and vital support structures
of the globe is at high risk.

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The Rio+20 Conference document outcomes, the Future We Want, underlines the weather
variations as urgent and inevitable international concerns with the long-term effects for the
sustainable growth of all nations. Through the documents, the affiliate states express their worry
about the steady increase in emissions of GHGs and the vulnerability of all countries, especially
the developing republics, which leads to severe effects of climate variation. Given the above
concerns, the affiliate nations have called for the broadest participation and cooperation of all
countries in an active and proper international reaction to climate change (Macintosh, 2012).
The world meteorological organization states the condition of the international climate annually.
It is grounded on several global datasets upheld independently by the international wealth
evaluation zones. Due to the economic and social effects of climate modification becoming so
significant, the WMO joined with other United Nations body for the first time to comprise
information on the above results in 2016. Therefore, since then, the WMO offers annual
statements on the extent of the global climate at the COP.
Concern of weather change that is being addressed by the UNFCCC
Increasing fossil fuel and use of the land changes have discharged and continue to emit gases,
rising the amount of the GHGs into the atmosphere. The GHGs comprises the nitrogen dioxide,
carbon diode and methane, and an increase in these gases have resulted in the upsurge of the
global heat from the sun. The rise in heat has caused greenhouse effects, which results in climate
variations. The key features of climate variation include the rise in average international
temperature well known as the global warming; ice caps melting; variations in cloud cover;

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increase in ocean temperature; precipitation over the land; ocean acidification- as a result of
seawater absorbing the carbon dioxide and heat from the atmosphere (Paterson, 2013).
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fourth assessment report addressed several
uncertainties about the weather change. The climate system warming is currently evident. At
present, it is apparent that global warming arises most from the human-made discharges of the
GHGs. For the past century, the atmospheric strength of carbon dioxide rose from a pre-
industrial value of the 278 ppm to 379 ppm in 2005, and the average global temperature
increased up to 0.74C. According to experts, this is quickest and largest rising fashion that has
been witnessed in the earth account. A rising speed of global warming has occurred explicitly
over the past 25 years, and 11 of the 12 warmest have happened in the last 12 years. According
to the IPCC account, it offers comprehensive anticipation for the 21st century and the above
display that international warming will remain to rise and grow. The perfect projections show
that the globe could warm by 3 degrees by 2100. Even if the nation minimizes its greenhouse
emission, the world will continue to warm. By 2100, the scope of the projection from a minimum
of 1.8 degrees to 4-degree increase in the worldwide average temperatures (Prag, Hood &
Barata, 2013).
Human beings have been embracing variable weather around the nations. International local
climate changes can impact individuals’ decision on the economic, social, personal and political
situations, and influences on their existences and livelihoods. The weather transformation effects
denote that the local weather changes that individuals have previously encountered and embraced
are varying at a comparatively colossal rate. The principal threats and impacts of international
warming are widespread. Rising ocean temperature can result in ocean thermal expansion and

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can link with meltwater from the land-centre ice causing the rise in the sea level (Paterson,
2013).
Sea level amplified by 0.17 meters in the 20th century. The sea-level rise in 2100 is projected to
hit between 0.18 and 0.59metres. The uncertainties arise as there are no estimates of how much
water will be gone from the ice layers. Also, there will be impacts of international sequence on
the ocean circulation due to the upsurge in the thawing of the sea ice and an inflow of freshwater
from the melting glaciers and ice sheets. Due to the global warming, the strength, form, and
incidence of the extreme occurrence like the inundations, tropical hurricanes, weighty
precipitations happening, are projected to increase even with comparatively trivial average
temperature rise. Variations in some sorts of extreme occurrence have already been noted, for
example, increase in the concentration and occurrence of the heat surfs and heavyweight
precipitation scenarios (Bulkeley, 2013).
Weather variation will have broad-ranging impacts on the surroundings, and socio-economic and
connected areas, such as farming, food security, water resources, coastal regions, terrestrial
bionetworks, and biodiversity. Variations in rainfall sequence are probable to cause acute water
shortage or even flooding. Glaciers thawing can lead to soil erosion and flooding. Increase in
temperature will lead to changes in the crop cultivating period which impacts the food security
and modifies in the dispersion of infection vectors making individuals be at risks from an ailment
such as dengue fever or malaria.
The rise in temperature will probably upsurge the extinction rates for several habitats and
species. Boreal forests, coral reefs, mountain and Mediterranean habitats will be significantly
affected. The rise in sea levels denotes that there will be massive peril of storm upsurge,
coastlines damage due to the waves and inundation, specifically in small island nations or the

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republic with low lying estuaries. An upsurge in the extreme temperature will influence the lives
and wellbeing as well as linked ecological and economic effects.
Adaptation is a routine over which communities make themselves better to handle with
unforeseen upcoming. Climate modification adaptation comprises taking the correct measure to
minimize the undesirable impacts of weather variation; by making the correct changes and
adjustments. Many opportunities and options exist to adapt, which ranges from the technological
options like an increased sea defense to behaviour change at a personal level like water reduction
usage in times of drought. Other approaches comprise initial warning structures for extreme
occurrence, excellent water management, advanced risk control, insurance choices and
biodiversity conservation. As a result of the rate at which the damage is occurring, the
developing nation's vulnerability to climate variation must be curtailed, and their capability to
adapt is augmented, and nations adaptation plans are executed. The future susceptibility relies on
the type of advancement that is pursued and climate change. Therefore, the adaptation ought to
be executed in the perspective of global and national sustainable growth exertions. Thus, the
global bodies are pinpointing the tools, resources and techniques to back the above effort.
Objectives and decision making parameters of the UNFCCC
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is at the centre of efforts to
address the weather changes. The body contributes the center for the concentrated global act to
prevent weather variation and to embrace its effects. Its requirements are innovative, far-sighted
and resolutely embed in the idea of viable growth. The organization entered into action in 1994
and have 197 member states. The affiliates are dedicated to initiating a national approach for
adapting to projected effects such as the provision of the technical support and financial
resources to less-developed nations.

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The Conventions mean adaptation in many articles, COP has made many decisions to the
adaptation to climate variation. Specific focus is given to concerns relating to section 4.8 and 4.9.
The decision has been made to aid and funds the parties to help the less developed nations with
the vulnerability, impacts and adaptation assessment through the Subsidiary Body for
Implementation. Some of the supports include the capacity-building, training and public
cognizance. Additionally, their execution of concrete adaptation actions, exchanging experiences
by regional workshops and promoting technology transfer.
Also, the focus has been given to the technical and scientific elements of adaptation transfer. For
instance, the Nairobi work program was implemented by the Conference of the Parties with
twofold aims: to help nations notably less developed countries to advance their understanding
and evaluation of the effects, susceptibility and adaptation. Also, to assist republic to have
knowledgeable choices on the real adaptation routines and events to react to weather variation on
a methodical, technical and socio-economic grounds, taking into consideration present and future
changes in weather and changeability.
In paragraph 8, by its decision 1/CP.10, the COP requested the UNFCCC secretariat to plan three
regional workspaces for Latin America, Africa and Asia. The above seminars were meant to
assist parties and other experts from the above regions to deliberate on their regional primacies;
to aid integrated evaluation and information transfer within the zones and to help pinpoint
particular adaptation requirements and challenges.
The UNFCCC backs the idea of mutual but distinguished duties in the climate context. It means
that while less developed nation bodies are anticipated to contribute to the mitigation of climate
change, established states are projected to take the lead in averting the weather variation. The
above is possible to developed countries superior ability to undertake mitigation. The body

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regularly references the necessity to back sustainable economic development, correctly, in less
developed states. It is worth noting that the developed republics are not subject to stringent
reporting and the developing nation party’s performances are expressed on the condition of the
sufficient provision of monetary aid and technology exchange from developed states parties.
Different types of policy instruments referred to in the UNFCCC
Australia is contented to create the submission on policies and methods for scaling up weather
finance, in reaction to Decision 3/CP.19. The submission reference on the past submission from
the nation including the Australia’s approaches submission (2016), Australia’s Third Biennial
Report (2017) and Australia’s Seventh National Communication on Climate Change (2017).
The Paris Treaty secured a firm action schedule and the attention must currently be on execution.
Australia is dedicated to functioning through the UNFCCC, other bilateral and local settings, and
with bilateral associates to assist realize the Paris Pact purposes. Australia is taking robust action
nationally and is on path to accomplish and beat 2020 release fall objectives. It is remains
committed to playing part in accomplishing the aim of assembling US$100 billion annually for
developing nations’ extenuation and adaptation exertions by 2020. Australia is offering at least
AU$1 billion in weather finance over five years (2015/16 to 2019/20) through aid program to
assist countries in our region, and to leverage additional private sector finance. Australia
continues to focus on delivering tangible results that are responsive to developing country needs
as reflected in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans
(NAPs) and development plans, and underpin effective domestic actions, while leveraging
greater investments through innovation and cooperation (Mitchell, Harper & Keenan, 2012).
In 2015, UNFCCC adopted the Paris Agreement intending to govern emission to minimize
emission from 2020. The nations clearly outline the climate actions they would have under the

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pacts, recognized as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) (Davies, 2015). The climate
process addressed in the NDCs hugely assess whether the realm realizes the long term objectives
of the Paris agreement: achieve net-zero discharges in the second half of the century and hold the
rise in global mean surface temperature below 2 degrees above pre-industrial scopes.
Of recent, the Paris agreement adoption has put weather change topic again on the international
agenda. This agreement, which references upon the UNFCCC structures, brings all states
together for the first time to a mutual theme to take all efforts to the climate change threats by
upholding the global temperature below 2 degrees above the pre-industrial levels. From 2017,
around 170 have ratified the Paris agreement, and therefore, it means they devote to put their
efforts through the NDCs to minimize the GHG emissions. Also, they aim to put in place proper
monetary flow, novel technological models, and improved capacity building to counter climate
change. The international climate policy took an innovative technique with the Paris agreement,
by building a concept for voluntary pledges, which permits nations to initiate their levels of
climate variation mitigation, which will be matched and reviewed globally. Therefore, the
argument about climate change had varied from a universalistic approach to an individual's
action (Paterson, 2013).
The central purposes of the Paris Agreement are to build the international reaction to the climate
modification threats by holding the global temperature increase in this era well below the 2
degrees just above the pre-industrial scopes. It also pursues an exertion to block the temperature
rise to 1.5 degrees. Moreover, the pacts focus to upsurge the capacity of nations to deal with the
climate modification effect and ensuring the finance movements are steady with low GHGs
discharges and weather-resilient directions. To attain the above objectives, suitable provision
and mobilization of monetary resources, and improved capability-building has to be in place.

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Therefore, supporting routine by less-developed nations are in line with the national aims. The
body also offers improved transparency for support and processes.
Back in December 1997, the Kyoto protocol was established and owing to a sophisticated
approval routine, and it entered into action on February 2005. At present, the Kyoto Protocol has
around 192 Parties. The Protocol functionalizes the Convention by making sure the limits of the
industrialized nation and minimizes the GHG discharges concerning its targets. The Convention
merely request those republics to embrace policies and mitigation measures and to address them
occasionally. The Kyoto Protocol is centred on the necessities of the Pact. It places a
considerable burden under the principles of “common but distinguished accountability and
respective abilities" because it acknowledges that they are hugely accountable for the present
high level of GHGs discharges in the atmosphere (Paterson, 2013).
The Kyoto Protocol Annex B sets the binding discharge minimization target for 36 industrialized
nations. Generally, the targets sum up to 5% discharge reduction matched to 1990 levels for five
years. Even though the Doha Revision to the Kyoto Protocol in 2012 was implemented for a
second commitment duration, it has not entered into action.
Two critical aspects of the Kyoto Protocol exist. The first is the compulsory release minimization
devotion for industrialized nation Parties. The above means that the space to contaminate was
restricted. The second aspects were the initiation of the flexible market device, which are centred
on the trade of discharge licenses. The Kyoto Protocol Parties are required to realize them
hugely by domestic action: reduction of emission in their home nation. However, they can also
accomplish them through market-grounded mechanisms that inspire the GHG mitigation to begin
where it is most economical, for instances, in the evolving realm. As long as the emission is
eradicated from the atmosphere, it does not matter the place where the discharge occurred. The