Climate Change Impacts
Climate change significantly impacts ecosystems, economies, and communities globally,
with disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations. Key impacts include:
1. Environmental Effects: Rising temperatures lead to glacier melting, sea-level rise,
habitat loss, and biodiversity reduction. Ecosystems face disruptions, impacting species'
survival.
2. Health Impacts: Increased frequency of heatwaves, droughts, and flooding contributes
to health crises like malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and heat-related illnesses.
3. Economic Challenges: Agriculture suffers from shifting weather patterns, reduced crop
yields, and water scarcity, endangering livelihoods.
4. Social Inequality: Marginalized groups, particularly in developing nations, experience
heightened vulnerabilities.
Mitigating these effects requires robust policies, global cooperation, and sustainable
practices.
Impacts of Human lifestyles
Human lifestyles significantly impact natural resources, often through overexploitation and
unsustainable practices. Key impacts include:
1. Deforestation: Expanding agriculture, urbanization, and logging lead to habitat
destruction and biodiversity loss.
2. Water Depletion: Excessive use for agriculture, industry, and households strains
freshwater supplies and disrupts ecosystems.
3. Soil Degradation: Unsustainable farming practices and urban sprawl reduce soil fertility
and contribute to erosion.
4. Fossil Fuel Use: High reliance on fossil fuels drives climate change, pollutes air and
water, and depletes finite energy resources.
5. Waste Generation: Overconsumption and improper disposal of plastics and chemicals
harm ecosystems and wildlife.
To mitigate these impacts, sustainable living practices, conservation efforts, and global
policy interventions are essential.
Agreement on Climate Change. What are the
achievements and gaps?
• The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, represents a collective global
effort to combat climate change by limiting global temperature rise to
well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit
it to 1.5°C. It also focuses on enhancing adaptation and increasing
financial support for climate action in developing countries.
Achievements
1.Global Commitment to Net-Zero Goals: Over 140 countries, accounting for about
90% of global emissions, have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-
century. For instance, major economies such as the European Union, the United
States, and China have set clear timelines for reaching net-zero.
2.Strengthened Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): The Paris
Agreement encourages countries to submit and update their NDCs every five
years. As of 2024, many countries have submitted enhanced targets, with
Rwanda, for example, integrating renewable energy and waste management into
its NDC plans.
3.Financial Support: Initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have scaled
up, providing resources for both mitigation and adaptation projects. Efforts have
been made to align international climate financing with Paris Agreement goals.
4.Sectoral Transformations: Countries like Bangladesh and Guatemala have taken
steps to integrate renewable energy and climate adaptation into critical sectors,
such as power and agriculture, through participatory and multisectoral
approaches
Gaps of PA
1.Emission Reduction Insufficiency: Current emission reduction pledges under the
Paris Agreement are insufficient to meet the 1.5°C target. According to the 2024
Climate Action Monitor, there remains a significant "emissions gap" between
current policies and what is needed for climate stabilization.
2.Climate Finance Shortfalls: While progress has been made, the commitment to
mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020 for climate finance has not been fully
realized. This has slowed mitigation and adaptation efforts, particularly in
vulnerable developing countries.
3.Implementation Challenges: Many developing countries face technical and
institutional barriers to implementing their NDCs. Challenges include inadequate
coordination among stakeholders, limited access to risk mitigation finance, and
lack of capacity for tracking and reporting climate progress.
4.Unequal Adaptation Progress: Vulnerable regions, such as small island developing
states and African nations, are disproportionately affected by climate impacts but
face significant hurdles in accessing adaptation funding and technical support
Recommendations
• To bridge these gaps, the Paris Agreement implementation could be
enhanced by:
• Scaling up climate finance, particularly for adaptation in least-developed
countries.
• Improving access to technology and capacity-building support for developing
nations.
• Encouraging international collaboration to address systemic barriers to green
investments.
• Enhancing accountability mechanisms to ensure transparency in the
implementation of NDCs.
In summary, while the Paris Agreement has catalyzed significant progress in
global climate governance, the urgency of the climate crisis necessitates more
ambitious actions and resources to achieve its goals.
Ethiopia’s implementation of PA
• Ethiopia has made notable strides in implementing the Paris
Agreement through its commitment to a green economy and climate
resilience.
• Key achievements include significant investments in renewable
energy, reforestation initiatives, and climate-smart agriculture.
However, there are still notable gaps in financing, capacity, and full
integration of climate strategies across sectors.
Ethiopia: Achievements
1.Renewable Energy Development: Ethiopia has prioritized renewable energy sources
such as hydropower, wind, and geothermal energy. The country is heavily investing in
renewable energy infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
promote sustainable energy access.
2.Green Legacy Program (GLP): Launched in 2019, this reforestation program has planted
nearly 18 billion trees, increasing forest coverage to 19.5%. This initiative addresses land
degradation, deforestation, and climate resilience.
3.Climate-Smart Agriculture: Ethiopia has implemented soil and water conservation
projects and other sustainable land management practices to enhance agricultural
resilience and reduce emissions.
4.Policy and Institutional Framework: The government has developed national strategies
such as the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) and National Adaptation Plans
(NAPs), aligning them with global climate goals.
5.Carbon Market Participation: Ethiopia has made efforts to monetize carbon credits for
GHG abatement, which contributes to financing green economy initiatives
Gaps
1.Financing and Investment: Despite progress, Ethiopia faces a funding gap
for achieving its green economy goals. The estimated USD 150 billion
needed between 2011 and 2030 exceeds current financial resources.
International climate finance remains insufficient to meet the scale of
investments required.
2.Limited Capacity and Technology: The implementation of modern and
energy-efficient technologies, especially in industrial and transport sectors,
has been slow due to technological and financial barriers.
3.Adaptation Gaps: Vulnerable populations in rural areas remain
underprepared for the impacts of climate change, such as droughts and
floods, which continue to threaten food security and livelihoods.
4.Monitoring and Evaluation: Challenges persist in tracking the effectiveness
of implemented policies and ensuring accountability in meeting emissions
reduction targets
Expected Outcomes of COP24
1. Enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
2. Financing for Loss and Damage
3. Adaptation Finance and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA)
4. Carbon Markets and Article 6
5. Support for Developing Nations
6. Nature-based Solutions and Biodiversity
