Group10_D | SDG 13: Climate Action

Sustainable Development Goal 13: CLIMATE ACTION

Introduction

Climate action the 13th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) set by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is one of the most important goals as it affects each and every individual on this planet.^[1]

Climate change is a direct and undeniable danger to our civilization as a whole. Unless we act now, the repercussions are already apparent and will be devastating. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and tropical cyclones, worsening the problems of water management, decreasing agricultural productivity and food security, increasing health threats, destroying vital infrastructure, and disrupting the provision of essential services such as water, sanitation, education, energy, and transport. India is surrounded by water from three sides and having the snow-capped Himalayas in the north makes it at risk of the changes happening in the climate. India is ranked 5th in the list of most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world with Japan at the top of the list.

The Climate Action SDG global targets include:

● Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

● Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning

● Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning

● Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

● Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in the least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities

We can make the required improvements to protect the world through education, creativity, and dedication to our climate commitments. These changes will offer tremendous opportunities to modernize our infrastructure, creating new jobs, and fostering greater prosperity across the globe.

Climate Change in the Indian Context

India is the 5th largest economy in the world and counted as a developing nation. However, according to the 2011-12 census data around 22% of the population live below the poverty line.^[2] Significant industrialization and developments are happening every day to develop the nation, which will reduce poverty and improve its stance at the world level. Nevertheless, it has negative impacts as well. In 2019-20 around 19 extreme weather events such as heavy rain, the flood happened in India, causing 1357 lives. ^[4]The average temperature increased by 0.6degree Celsius between 2009-2018. It may seem insignificant at the annual level, but projections show that by the century end the average temperature will reach at 29.1 degree Celsius from the existing 25.1 degree.^[5]

As climate change becomes more visible, it is creating an alarming situation for India as 70% of India's population depends on farming. Climate change has an inverse relation with agriculture. It is estimated that with an increase of 0.5degree Celsius temperature the wheat yield would reduce by 0.45 ton per hectares^[4]. As per world bank, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra are drought-prone areas where Odisha is a flood cyclone-prone area. The climate impacts the farming and the growth of the population hampering heavily. The air quality index of Delhi is the worst as per the survey of 1650 cities conducted by WHO. According to WHO, air pollution in India is estimated to kill 2 million people yearly, and India has the highest death rate in the world from respiratory and asthma diseases.

Considering these severe implications of climate change, the Government of India has taken many steps to minimize it. The GOI is focusing on renewable energy sources and supporting the introduction of electric vehicles. Recently Tesla has started its office in India, which shows a positive way forward. It intends to invest more in solar energy, wind and nuclear energy soon. India has signed the Paris agreement in 2016 and following its mandatory steps to reduce the carbon emission by 33 to 35% below 2005 levels by 2030^[6]. While India struggles on poverty alleviation and reduction of unemployment, mitigating Climate Change becomes tougher. The answer to the first problem is Economic Development, conventionally seen to be industrial. However, the dichotomy is where the concept of Sustainable Development comes in as the solution. As the public authorities take steps, while trying to balance interests, it doesn’t seem to have appeared as their top agenda. At the societal level, organizations are raising awareness but what remains ahead is a long road.

Business Implications and Responses

The outlook for business and implications of climate action

The commercial sector was responsible for 18 percentage of CO2 emissions in 2018. The UK Climate Change Committee said in its 2019 progress report: "It will be businesses that primarily meet the net-zero target and provide the vast majority of the investment needed," adding that policy is needed to provide a "clear and stable direction." The worst impacts of climate change will only help decarbonized economies to develop. A combined effort between governments, civil society and business must be the war against climate change. Businesses need to commit to goals such as the availability of 100% renewable energy by 2050 and the transition to zero emissions for all vehicles by 2030.

Risks

■ PHYSICAL

· Areas that may be submerged as the seas rise

· Assets threatened by the result of extreme weather, including more frequent severe storms, droughts and wildfires.

There are few options other than protection for current properties. The risk at conception must be measured for new projects.

■ EXISTENTIAL

As the transition to a low-carbon environment gathers pace, assets face obsolescence in many industries. Fossil fuel extractors and energy companies processing coal, oil and dirty gas are obvious examples. A good way to counter pollution is no longer considered to be carbon offsets. The threat also extends to areas such as the automobile industry and aviation. Innovation may generate green alternatives, but in the meantime, in current processes, producers would have to reduce emissions. Three per cent of greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to shipping, which accounts for nine-tenths of global freight by volume. ^[7]

■ REGULATORY

Policy will force the problem if businesses and customers do not actively work towards low-carbon goals. The UN-backed Responsible Investment Principles project that "abrupt, forceful and disorderly" policy transition would occur by 2025 and could wipe up to $2.3 billion in value from the world's largest businesses. The result of carbon pricing would be a lot of that. Any business which has failed to minimise pollution to national limits will be penalised by such a scheme. In the MSCI All Countries World Index, factoring in a related decrease in demand, this could remove an average 15 percent of cash flows across businesses.

■ REPUTATIONAL

Acting on emissions will look like an unnecessary cost if consumers do not seem to care. Consumers will transfer scrutiny to businesses in industries that are perceived to be avoiding action, when visible climate criminals such as oil and gas are side-lined. Increased openness makes it easier for lower-carbon options to be found and thereby empowers customers to make choices. It can drive a market shift away from them as the carbon emission of these goods becomes more transparent and is ultimately priced into the commodity.

■ FINANCING

The financial sector is seen as a business conduit. We can actually flow across all sectors and drive progress in all sectors if we can calculate the ESG [environmental, social and governance] implications of resources. For example, pension funds now invest with climate mitigation and sustainable business in mind. In their lending activities, banks, too, consider the environment and direct their equity investments accordingly. Not only is the shift in capital motivated by ethics. An increasing body of proof ties good ESG performance with superior returns on the market.

Image Source: https://www.ft.com/content/7ab0bfb0-b37c-463d-b132-0944b6fe8e8b

Business response to climate action

§ Building green industries

Green industry provides an incentive for UNFCCC member states and parties to fulfil their commitments to low-carbon and resource-efficient climate change mitigation technologies and to meet the criteria of Nationally Defined Contributions (NDCs)

Different green industry technologies, including Industrial Energy Management, Renewable Energy, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Waste to Energy, would be needed to achieve mitigation.

Issues related to mitigation, adaptation, financing, technology creation and transition and capacity building, and transparency of action and support are central to the Paris Agreement.

Image Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization, 2013

Analysis

Targets of Climate Action

The targets of the Sustainable Goal 13 or Climate Action goal cover a wide range of issues surrounding climate action activities. These targets are divided based on their goals and the areas they impact. In total, Climate Action goals have five targets. The first three targets are called "Output targets," these targets focus on strengthening resilience, adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters, integrating measures into the policies and planning, and increasing awareness and knowledge required to meet the climate change challenges. The other two targets are known as " means of achieving", these focus on implementing the UN framework to climate change and raise the mechanisms of planning and management.^[8]

Target 1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters

The goal aims to strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacity of current preparedness to deal with ever-increasing disasters due to climate change. The indicators of the target include:

● Number of deaths, missing people, and directly affected people attributed to disasters

● The proportion of local governments that embrace and execute and not local disaster risk-reducing strategies in line with national disaster risk mitigation strategies

Target 2: Integrate climate change measures into policy and planning

The aim is to consider the measures while making policies and planning the actions related to climate action. The indicators of the target include:

● Number of countries with nationally managed contributions, long-term strategies, national agreement plans

Target 3: Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change

The aim is to develop education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capability on climate change moderation, adaptation, impact mitigation, and early warning. The indicators of the target include:

● The extent to which (i) global citizenship learning and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in national education strategies

● The number of countries that have demonstrated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and specific capacity-building to perform the conversion, remission and technology transfer, and development actions.

Target 4: Implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

The aim is to fulfil the responsibility undertaken by developed-countries to the UN Framework on Climate Change. The indicators of the target include:

● Products produced and assembled in United States dollars per year concerning the advanced current collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion engagement through to 2025

Target 5: Promote mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and management

The aim is to increase awareness among least developed countries and small islands to increase handling climate disaster management and adopt long-term strategies. The indicators of the target include:

● The number of least developed countries and small island developing states with nationally restricted contributions, long-term strategy, national adaptation plans.

Image Source: Climate Action Tracker, BBC

The sad part is that we are way far from these targets. Instead, as a whole, we are going the opposite way. The 20 warmest years on record have been in the past 22 years, with 2015-2018 making up the top four, the WMO says. In the summer of 2019, more than 400 all-time high temperatures were set in the northern hemisphere. During 4 months of summer i.e. from 1st may to 30th August, Records of high temperature were broken in 30 countries. Earth needs help and we, as a whole, have to stand up. In unity. Otherwise, the world will face catastrophic change. Sea levels will rise, there will be a significant increase in temperature, more geo-physical disasters will happen and our ability to grow crops would be in danger.

But can we really prevent the impacts of climate change of centuries? Well, we can surely reverse the impact. Solution exists. Carbon-zero future can be our future. ^[9]

Low cost solar, wind, and battery technologies are on profitable, exponential trajectories that if sustained, will be enough to halve emissions from electricity generation by 2030. Wind and solar energy now regularly out-compete fossil fuels in most regions of the world. Electric vehicle growth has the potential to reach a 90% market share by 2030 if sustained, but only if strong policies support this direction.^[10]

Image Source:- Poore and Nemecek (2018) through BBC

Climate Action: The way ahead

Climate change has always been a severe problem for humankind’s existence, and this has been increased in intensity lately because of the visible effects of climate change. For an instance 2019 was the second warmest year on record and the end of the warmest decade ever recorded. The orbit for earth or for that matter sun’s intensity or distance is still same but temperature rise presence signals towards certain important implications of our practices. Carbon dioxide levels and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose to record levels in 2019 globally and its implications affect every country on every continent while disrupting national economies and affecting lives. Greenhouse gas emissions dropped down globally with covid and imposed lockdown across nations which improved the greenhouse gases content globally and verified that it is our efforts which pollute the environment resulting in the change.

Saving lives and livelihoods requires urgent action to address the climate emergency for which The Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015 which aims at strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industry levels for the century.

Human society has to collectively strengthen our ability to deal with the impacts of climate change by working towards clean, green, healthy, safe and more resilient ways of living.

Six ways to fight climate change: ^[11]

1. Green Transition: To invest in decarbonization of all aspects of economic activities.

2. Green jobs and sustainable and inclusive growth.

3. Green economy: Make society and people more resilient through a transition fair to all, leaving no one behind to give the sense of entitlement.

4. Sustainability should be practiced in all form of manufacturing and services.

5. Talk about the climate issue and confront all climate risks.

6. Cooperate with different societies and countries to fight the risks associated with climate change.

References:

[1] https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-13-climate-action.html#targets

[2] https://censusindia.gov.in/2011-common/censusdata2011.html, 2011-2012)

[3] https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/extreme-weather-india-s-death-toll-1-357-from-19-events-in-2019-flags-dte-report-71531#:~:text=Nineteen%20extreme%20weather%20events%20in,Environment%202020%3A%20In%20Figures%20report.

[4] https://www.livemint.com/news/india/the-growing-threat-of-climate-change-in-india-1563716968468.html