NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Theme : Environment & Biodiversity
Paper : GS - 3
In September 2022, a study published in the journal Science said earth may have already passed through five dangerous tipping points due to the 1.1°C of global heating caused by humanity to date.
UNFCCC COP26 (26th conference of parties to the UNFCCC) also fuelled technological optimism. There was an observation that every technological solution discussed at COP26 depends on just three resources:
- ‘Nelectricity” : non-emitting electricity generated by hydropower, renewables or nuclear fission
- carbon capture and storage (CCS) or carbon sequestration
- Biomass or biofuel
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Context
- Glasgow summit of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its outcomes
- Deforestation and the role of forests in mitigating climate change
- Road Ahead: Conserving natural sinks
Context : In September 2022, a study published in the journal Science said earth may have already passed through five dangerous tipping points due to the 1.1°C of global heating caused by humanity to date.
Glasgow summit of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its outcomes :
- UNFCCC COP26 (26th conference of parties to the UNFCCC) also fuelled technological optimism. There was an observation that every technological solution discussed at COP26 depends on just three resources:
- ‘Nelectricity” : non-emitting electricity generated by hydropower, renewables or nuclear fission
- carbon capture and storage (CCS) or carbon sequestration
- Biomass or biofuel
- The total demand for those resources required by the plans discussed at COP26 cannot be met by 2050.
- We currently have 4kWh/day of nelectricity per person. But the COP26 plans require 32 (range 16-48).
- We currently have 6kg of CCS per person per year, but the COP26 plans require 3,600 (range 1,400-5,700).
- We eat 100kg plant-based food per person each year, but producing enough bio-kerosene to fly at today’s levels requires 200kg of additional harvest.
- There is no possibility that our supplies of these will be near the levels required by the plans discussed at COP26.
Deforestation and the role of forests in mitigating climate change :
- Forests, which are home to 80% of terrestrial wildlife, are at the intersection of the climate change crisis and the biodiversity crisis.
- Tech-centric mitigation conversations leave forest economies and subjects such as conservation and forests, which are the best carbon removal instruments, to the ideological fringes of climate conversation. Climate action requires the same amount of investment in conservation as we see in new technology transfers.
- While there was the deforestation-ending climate commitment at COP26, the nature of the pledge was vague. Countries may easily attempt to achieve their ‘net zero deforestation goals’ through monoculture farming. But this won’t be of much help.
- In 2019, approximately 34% of total net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions came from the
- energy supply sector- 34%
- industry- 24%
- agriculture, forestry and other land use- 22%
- transport- 15%
- Human habitation/ buildings-5%
- Forests absorb a net 7.6 billion metric tonnes of CO2 a year. A new study has found that their biophysical aspects have a tendency to cool the earth by an additional 0.5%. The conservation of forests, along with other nature-based solutions, can provide up to 37% of the emissions reductions needed to tackle climate change.
Road Ahead: Conserving natural sinks
- The IPCC Land Report estimates that land serves as a large CO2 sink. There is a growing body of evidence that a large proportion of the required removals could be achieved by conserving natural sinks, improving biodiversity protection, and restoring ecosystems.
- Preserving earth’s cyclic processes by protecting terrestrial ecosystems and natural sinks and transformative agricultural practices under the leadership of indigenous people and local communities is a far more equitable and cost-effective way of tackling the climate crisis than it is being done now.
- We need to realize that the climate crisis is just a symptom; our real problem is that human consumption and activity have exceeded the regenerative capacity of our planet. Technology, at best, can assist us, not lead us, on the pathway to a sustainable, regenerative and equitable world.
FAQs :
1. What is Nelectricity?
Answer : Non-emitting electricity generated by hydropower, renewables or nuclear fission.
2. Does Land serve as Sink?
Answer : The IPCC Land Report estimates that land serves as a large CO2 sink. There is a growing body of evidence that a large proportion of the required removals could be achieved by conserving natural sinks, improving biodiversity protection, and restoring ecosystems.