Issues in extraction of fossil fuels
Context:
- It is an acronym for the yearly “Conference of the Parties” to the Kyoto Protocol (1997), the Paris Agreement, or the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- Meetings examine how far each nation has come in combating climate change and carrying out the choices reached at previous COPs.
- Berlin, Germany hosted the inaugural Conference of the COP in 1995.
The five UN-designated zones alternately host the COP summit location:
- Africa
- Asia-Pacific
- Europe’s East
- Caribbean and Latin America
- Europe to the west and beyond.
- The host is typically chosen at least two years in advance, with the member nations of the area submitting a candidate.
Cutting back on fossil fuels:
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) introduced the idea of phase-out of fossil fuels for the first time at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.
- It mentioned phasing out ineffective fossil fuel subsidies and gradually reducing coal power.
- Cut back on fossil fuels and coal
- In accordance with science, the COP28 in Dubai decided to move away from fossil fuels in energy systems in order to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, and the UNFCCC:
- Their goal is to lower greenhouse gas emissions and have sinks comply with the CBDR-RC.
They are guided by the following standards:
- individual emissions
- historical emissions from a party from a developed nation
- technological and financial resources (that a developed nation has access to in comparison to a developing nation).
Difficulties in eliminating emissions:
- A country’s ability to shift away from fossil fuels is likely to be severely hampered if it depends significantly on the industry for jobs and income.
- Nations including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom rely less on fossil fuel revenues.
- They have a greater per capita income and a more diversified economy with non-fossil fuel income to cover transitional expenditures.
- Their ability to move away from fossil fuels is higher.
- The economy of nations like Azerbaijan, Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, Oman, and Timor Leste are comparatively less diversified and mostly rely on fossil resources for their government funding.
- Their transit capacity is restricted.
International law with relation to fossil fuels:
- It is permissible for a state to utilise its own natural resources for the purpose of economic growth.
- When a natural resource is trans-boundary in nature, this is followed with a warning not to seriously injure another state.
- One of the duties of due diligence is to prevent injury to others; the state is required to take all necessary precautions considering the scope of the planned project, which may have transboundary implications.
- In the Pulp Mills Case, the International Court of Justice (ICJ, 2010) defined transboundary environmental impact assessments (EIAs) as a component of customary international law.
- This obligation is related to a mutual condition.
- It is uncertain how to use it in the context of a global commons.
- It is unreasonable to expect a state to do an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for fossil fuel extraction based only on local impacts.
- NDCs, which are the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement, do not require a state to forbid the extraction of fossil fuels.
India’s position:
- India’s electricity industry is still dominated by fossil fuels.
- In 159 districts, almost 3.6 million people are dependent on the fossil fuel economy.
- through employment in the coal mining and electricity industries, whether direct or indirect.
- Without sufficient transition support and the provision of suitable economic opportunities and livelihoods for those affected, India cannot afford to make the switch to greener fuels.
- India’s paraffin oil subsidies are regarded as inefficient subsidies and are in violation of Article 2(1)(c) of the Paris Agreement.
Paris Accord:
- It is an international climate change accord that is legally binding.
- Adoption: At the 2015 Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris, it was ratified by 196 nations.
- Objective: To keep global warming to well below 2°C, and ideally, to 1.5°C (one point five) over pre-industrial levels.
- Goal: Countries seek to attain a worldwide peak in greenhouse gas emissions as soon as feasible in order to attain a mid-century climate-neutral world and meet the long-term temperature goal.
Way Ahead:
- When India intervened at COP26 and was successful in softening the wording from “phasing out” to “phasing down” unabated coal, it provided an alternative timeline.
- In order to oppose the developed nation parties, India must rely on its coalition-building strategy with like-minded developing country parties.
- The majority of significant fossil fuel producers, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, intend to raise output (as per the PGR)
- while, with little assistance, expecting developing nations to drastically transform their economy.
- The goal for the advanced economies should be to have carbon-free electrical systems by 2030.
- Although difficult, these economies’ technological capabilities are not insurmountable.
- Hydrogen has the potential to replace fossil fuels.
- One such remedy is green hydrogen produced from sustainable resources.
- Reduced tax rates: Reducing taxes on commodities with little or no carbon emissions during manufacture can encourage a speedy transition.
