Climate Policy & International Agreements Flashcards
7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Climate Policy & International Agreements flashcards as text
What is the long-term temperature goal established by the Paris Agreement?
Answer: Limit warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, pursuing efforts toward 1.5°C
The Paris Agreement's Article 2 sets a goal of holding warming well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Under the UNFCCC, what are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
Answer: Voluntary climate action plans submitted by each Party outlining emission reduction commitments
NDCs are voluntary national climate action plans submitted by each country under the Paris Agreement, detailing their intended greenhouse gas reductions and adaptation measures.
Which international body serves as the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC?
Answer: Conference of the Parties (COP)
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC, meeting annually to assess progress and negotiate agreements.
The Kyoto Protocol established binding emission reduction targets for which group of countries?
Answer: Developed (Annex I) countries
The Kyoto Protocol assigned binding emission reduction targets only to Annex I (developed) countries, reflecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
What is the 'ratchet mechanism' in the Paris Agreement?
Answer: A requirement that each successive NDC be more ambitious than the previous one
The ratchet mechanism requires countries to submit progressively more ambitious NDCs every five years, ensuring that climate commitments continuously increase over time.
At COP26 in Glasgow, countries agreed to phase down (rather than phase out) which energy source?
Answer: Unabated coal power
The Glasgow Climate Pact called for the phase-down of unabated coal power, with 'phase down' replacing the stronger 'phase out' language after last-minute negotiation.
Which principle underlies the UNFCCC's differentiation between developed and developing nations in climate obligations?
Answer: Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC)
CBDR-RC acknowledges that all countries share responsibility for addressing climate change, but obligations differ based on historical emissions and economic capacity.