Climate Change

🌡️ Overview

Climate change — the long-term shift in global or regional weather patterns, primarily attributed to anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gas emissions since industrialisation — is among the most heavily tested current affairs-linked Environment topics across UPSC, APPSC and TSPSC.

🌡️ The Greenhouse Effect

Certain atmospheric gases — greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and fluorinated gases — trap outgoing infrared radiation, warming the Earth's surface (the natural greenhouse effect makes Earth habitable). The problem is the enhanced greenhouse effect from rising GHG concentrations due to fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, agriculture and industrial processes, which is driving global average temperature rise beyond natural variability.

📊 IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established in 1988 by the WMO and UNEP, is the UN body that periodically assesses the scientific basis, impacts and mitigation/adaptation options for climate change through its Assessment Reports (the most recent being AR6). It does not conduct original research but synthesises peer-reviewed science into policy-relevant (not policy-prescriptive) reports.

🌐 Global Governance Framework

UNFCCC (1992): The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, adopted at the Rio Earth Summit, established the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) — recognising that developed countries bear greater historical responsibility for emissions.
Kyoto Protocol (1997): The first binding emission-reduction agreement, applicable only to developed (Annex I) countries.
Paris Agreement (2015): Adopted at COP21, moved from top-down binding targets to a bottom-up framework of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C, pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, reviewed through a five-year "global stocktake" cycle.
COP (Conference of Parties): The annual UNFCCC summit where these agreements are negotiated and reviewed — a recurring current affairs touchpoint (e.g. COP26 Glasgow's "Panchamrit" commitments by India, COP28's Global Stocktake and Loss & Damage Fund operationalisation).

🌐 India's Climate Commitments

India's updated NDC targets include reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels), achieving about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, and a net-zero emissions target by 2070 (announced at COP26). Domestic instruments include the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) with its eight National Missions (Solar, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture, Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change), and the state-level counterparts (State Action Plans on Climate Change).

🎯 Exam Angle

Prelims frequently tests the chronology and key features of UNFCCC/Kyoto/Paris, and India's specific NDC numbers/targets. Mains rewards discussing the CBDR principle's tension with universal participation, and India's dual challenge of development needs versus emission commitments — a classic GS Paper III essay theme.