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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on November 14, 2024

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Conference of Parties (CoP 29)

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international importance

For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment & Ecology

Context: 

In the run-up to the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it was touted as “the finance COP”, while the ‘New Quantified Climate Goal (NQCG)’ was among the key priority issues to be discussed therein.

Read about:

Kyoto Protocol

UNFCC

Key takeaways:

As the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) approaches, it has been referred to as "the finance COP," with the 'New Quantified Climate Goal (NQCG)' as a central topic of discussion.

In this context, the approval of a global carbon market—a key mechanism for achieving the NCQG by facilitating emissions reductions and directing climate finance—is seen as a major achievement, announced on the first day of the global climate summit, which began on Monday (November 11) and will run through November 22.

With diverse agendas, high expectations, and pressing demands surrounding the ongoing conference, understanding the evolution of climate governance is essential.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

• 
  A major milestone in COP history was the creation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. Formed through a collaboration between the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), the IPCC’s mission is to deliver assessment reports, special reports, and methodologies that compile scientific knowledge on climate change and suggest response strategies.
• Today, the IPCC is widely recognized as a key organization bridging science and policy, but in the 1980s, climate science faced substantial uncertainty, skepticism, and limited data. The IPCC's first report, published in 1990, was transformative, leading to widespread calls for a global climate treaty.

Conference of the Parties (COP):

• Although the UNFCCC set ambitious goals for tackling climate change, additional processes were needed to fully implement and strengthen its objectives.
• The Framework Convention ultimately led to the establishment of the Conference of the Parties (COP) as its main governing body. Each year, the COP gathers representatives from countries that have ratified the UNFCCC to review progress, negotiate new agreements, and fine-tune commitments.
• The COP is unique in its role as the only global decision-making forum where nearly every nation participates in shaping and implementing climate policies. Currently, the UNFCCC includes 198 parties (197 countries and the European Union).
• The first COP meeting, held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995, introduced the Berlin Mandate, which emphasized the need for legally binding commitments from developed nations, marking a pivotal step in international climate action