Climate Change and Global Warming — Revision Notes

⚡ 30-Second Revision

Global warming: Increase in Earth's average temperature.
Climate change: Broader, long-term shifts in weather patterns.
Greenhouse Effect: Natural process, enhanced by human GHGs.
Key GHGs: CO2, CH4, N2O, F-gases.
CO2: Primary anthropogenic GHG, from fossil fuels.
Methane (CH4): Potent GHG, from agriculture, waste, fossil fuels.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O): From agriculture, industrial processes.
Radiative Forcing: Measure of climate influence (warming/cooling).
Albedo: Reflectivity of a surface (ice high, ocean low).
Carbon Cycle: Movement of carbon, disrupted by human emissions.
Permafrost Thaw: Releases GHGs, positive feedback loop.
Ocean Acidification: Decreased pH from CO2 absorption, harms marine life.
IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, scientific assessments.
UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992).
Kyoto Protocol: Legally binding targets for developed nations (1997).
Paris Agreement: Universal, NDCs, 1.5/2°C goal (2015).
NDCs: Nationally Determined Contributions, voluntary climate plans.
Global Stocktake: 5-yearly review of Paris Agreement progress (first at COP28).
COP28: Called for 'transitioning away' from fossil fuels, operationalized L&D Fund.
Climate Finance: Funds for mitigation/adaptation in developing nations.
GCF: Green Climate Fund, major climate finance mechanism.
Loss and Damage: Unavoidable climate impacts, fund established at COP27/28.
Carbon Markets: ETS (cap-and-trade), carbon credits.
CBAM: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU), prevents carbon leakage.
Just Transition: Equitable shift to low-carbon economy.
NAPCC: India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (8 missions, 2008).
India's Updated NDCs (2022): 45% emissions intensity cut, 50% non-fossil capacity by 2030.
India's Net-Zero Target: 2070.
National Solar Mission: Key NAPCC mission, promoting solar energy.
NITI Aayog: Plays role in India's energy transition policy.
NGT: National Green Tribunal (2010), specialized environmental court.
EPA 1986: Environment Protection Act, umbrella legislation.
FRA 2006: Forest Rights Act, links social justice to forest conservation.
Article 48A: DPSP, State to protect environment.
Article 51A(g): Fundamental Duty, citizens to protect environment.
Article 21: Right to Life, includes right to wholesome environment.
M.C. Mehta Cases: Absolute liability, Ganga pollution.
T.N. Godavarman Case: Forest protection, CAMPA.
M.K. Ranjitsinh Case (2024): Right against adverse effects of climate change.
Mitigation: Reduce GHG emissions (RE, EE, CCS, afforestation).
Adaptation: Adjust to climate impacts (drought-resistant crops, sea walls).
Renewable Energy: Solar, wind, hydro, key for decarbonization.
Energy Efficiency: Reduces energy demand, 'first fuel'.
Afforestation/REDD+: Enhances carbon sinks, reduces deforestation.
Carbon Capture (CCUS): Captures CO2 from industrial sources.
Green Bonds: Finance environmentally friendly projects.
Climate Refugees: Displaced due to climate impacts.
Extreme Weather: Increased frequency/intensity due to climate change.
1.5°C Target: Paris Agreement goal to limit warming.

2-Minute Revision

Topic

Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

Summary

The greenhouse effect is a natural process vital for Earth's warmth. However, human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels, release excessive greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), enhancing this effect.

This 'enhanced greenhouse effect' traps more heat, leading to global warming – the long-term increase in Earth's average temperature. Global warming is a subset of climate change, which encompasses broader shifts in weather patterns, sea levels, and extreme events.

UPSC requires understanding the specific gases, their sources, and the distinction between these terms.

Topic

Paris Agreement vs. Kyoto Protocol

Summary

The Paris Agreement (2015) is a universal, bottom-up framework where all countries submit voluntary Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to limit warming to 1.5/2°C. It includes a Global Stocktake for ambition review.

The Kyoto Protocol (1997) was a top-down, legally binding treaty for developed nations, setting specific emission reduction targets and using market mechanisms like CDM. Paris learned from Kyoto's limitations (e.

g., limited participation) to create a more inclusive and flexible global response.

Topic

India's Climate Commitments (NDCs & Net-Zero)

Summary

India's updated NDCs (2022) commit to a 45% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and 50% non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030. Additionally, India aims to create a 2.

5-3 billion tonne CO2 equivalent carbon sink by 2030. At COP26, India also pledged to achieve Net-Zero emissions by 2070. These ambitious targets reflect India's commitment to climate action while balancing development needs, driving significant shifts in its energy and industrial policies.

Topic

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies

Summary

Mitigation strategies aim to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions, tackling the root causes of climate change. Examples include transitioning to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, afforestation, and carbon capture technologies.

Adaptation strategies focus on adjusting to the unavoidable impacts of climate change, building resilience. Examples include developing drought-resistant crops, early warning systems, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Both are crucial and complementary for a comprehensive climate response, often integrated into national plans like India's NAPCC.

Topic

Ocean Acidification and its Impacts

Summary

Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in ocean pH due to the absorption of excess atmospheric CO2. When CO2 dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, increasing acidity and reducing carbonate ions.

These ions are vital for marine organisms like corals and shellfish to build their shells and skeletons (calcification). This process severely impacts marine biodiversity, coral reefs, and the marine food web, posing a significant threat to ocean ecosystems independent of warming.

Topic

Climate Finance and Loss & Damage

Summary

Climate finance refers to funds supporting mitigation and adaptation in developing countries, with developed nations committed to mobilizing $100 billion annually. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a key multilateral mechanism.

'Loss and Damage' addresses unavoidable climate impacts beyond mitigation/adaptation, often disproportionately affecting vulnerable nations. COP27 established a dedicated Loss and Damage Fund, operationalized at COP28, to provide financial assistance, recognizing historical responsibility and climate justice.

Topic

India's Constitutional and Legal Framework

Summary

India's Constitution, through Article 48A (DPSP) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty), mandates environmental protection. The Supreme Court has expanded Article 21 (Right to Life) to include the 'right to a wholesome environment,' and recently, the 'right against the adverse effects of climate change.

' Laws like the Environment Protection Act (1986) and the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) provide the statutory framework. This robust legal and constitutional backing underpins India's climate action and environmental governance.

Topic

Carbon Markets and CBAM

Summary

Carbon markets create economic incentives for emission reductions, typically through 'cap-and-trade' (Emission Trading Systems - ETS) or 'offset' mechanisms (carbon credits). They put a price on carbon, encouraging cleaner technologies.

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a new policy to tax carbon-intensive imports, preventing 'carbon leakage' and encouraging global decarbonization. CBAM has significant implications for India's exports and industrial policy, pushing for domestic decarbonization.

Topic

Just Transition Frameworks

Summary

A 'just transition' ensures that the shift to a low-carbon economy is fair and inclusive, creating decent work and leaving no one behind. It addresses the social and economic impacts on workers and communities dependent on fossil fuel industries, particularly relevant for India's coal sector.

Policy measures include reskilling, economic diversification, and social safety nets. It's crucial for ensuring equitable development and broad societal support for climate action, preventing social disruption during energy transitions.

Topic

IPCC and Global Stocktake

Summary

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) provides authoritative scientific assessments on climate change, forming the basis for international policy. Its AR6 Synthesis Report (2023) highlighted the urgency of limiting warming to 1.

5°C. The 'Global Stocktake' is a five-yearly process under the Paris Agreement to assess collective progress towards its long-term goals. The first Global Stocktake concluded at COP28, calling for a transition away from fossil fuels and informing future NDCs.

5-Minute Revision

Topic

Comprehensive Overview of Climate Change and Global Warming

Summary

Climate change, a long-term alteration of Earth's climate system, is primarily driven by anthropogenic activities, leading to an 'enhanced greenhouse effect.' This effect, caused by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like CO2, CH4, N2O, and F-gases from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial processes, traps excess heat, resulting in global warming – the observed rise in Earth's average temperature.

Key scientific indicators include a 1.1°C rise in global temperature since pre-industrial times, accelerating sea level rise (20 cm since 1900), rapid cryosphere melt, and increased ocean heat content.

These changes manifest as more frequent and intense extreme weather events (heatwaves, floods, droughts), coastal erosion, and ocean acidification, which harms marine calcifying organisms.

The impacts are pervasive: agriculture faces erratic monsoons and yield reductions, water resources are stressed by altered precipitation and glacial melt, biodiversity suffers from habitat shifts and extinction risks, human health is affected by heat stress and vector-borne diseases, and urban/coastal communities face inundation and displacement.

International policy has evolved from the UNFCCC (1992) to the Kyoto Protocol (1997, binding targets for developed nations) and the Paris Agreement (2015, universal NDCs, 1.5/2°C goal, Global Stocktake). Recent COPs, particularly COP28, have seen calls for 'transitioning away' from fossil fuels and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund. Climate finance, carbon markets (ETS, carbon credits), and concepts like 'just transition' are central to global efforts.

India's response is robust: the NAPCC (8 missions), updated NDCs (45% emissions intensity cut, 50% non-fossil capacity by 2030), and a Net-Zero 2070 target. Its legal framework, rooted in constitutional provisions (Art 48A, 51A(g), Art 21) and judicial activism (M.

C. Mehta, T.N. Godavarman, M.K. Ranjitsinh), provides strong backing. Mitigation focuses on renewable energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, and carbon capture, while adaptation emphasizes resilience-building through climate-resilient agriculture and infrastructure.

The 'climate-development nexus' is critical for India, requiring integrated policies that balance growth with sustainability and equity.

Topic

India's Climate Action: Policies, Legal Framework, and Challenges

Summary

India's climate action is guided by a comprehensive policy and legal framework, reflecting its commitment to sustainable development. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in 2008, comprises eight missions (e.

g., National Solar Mission, National Water Mission, Green India Mission) addressing both mitigation and adaptation. Under the Paris Agreement, India submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2022, pledging to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and achieve 50% non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030.

A long-term Net-Zero emissions target by 2070 was also announced at COP26.

The constitutional basis for environmental protection lies in Article 48A (DPSP) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty). The Supreme Court has significantly expanded the 'Right to Life' (Article 21) to include the 'right to a wholesome environment,' and recently, the 'right against the adverse effects of climate change' (M.

K. Ranjitsinh case, 2024). Statutory bodies like the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and laws like the Environment Protection Act (1986) and Forest Rights Act (2006) further strengthen the legal framework.

Challenges include mobilizing adequate climate finance (both domestic and international), ensuring a 'just transition' for communities dependent on fossil fuels, integrating renewable energy into the grid, and building resilience in highly vulnerable sectors like agriculture and coastal regions.

India's dual imperative of economic growth and climate action necessitates innovative policy design, technological adoption, and international cooperation, while ensuring equity and social justice.

Prelims Revision Notes

1
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): — CO2 (fossil fuels, deforestation), CH4 (agriculture, waste, fossil fuels), N2O (agriculture, industry), F-gases (industrial). Know their GWP and atmospheric lifetime.
2
Key Concepts: — Radiative Forcing (warming/cooling effect), Albedo (reflectivity, ice-albedo feedback), Carbon Cycle (natural vs. anthropogenic disruption), Permafrost (carbon sink, thawing releases GHGs), Ocean Acidification (CO2 absorption, pH decrease, calcification impact).
3
International Agreements:

* UNFCCC (1992): Framework treaty, CBDR-RC principle. * Kyoto Protocol (1997): Legally binding targets for Annex I (developed) countries, CDM, JI, ETS. * Paris Agreement (2015): Universal, NDCs, 1.5/2°C goal, Global Stocktake, Loss and Damage.

1
Recent COPs: — COP28 (Dubai, 2023) - 'transitioning away' from fossil fuels, operationalized Loss and Damage Fund, Global Stocktake concluded. COP27 (Sharm El Sheikh, 2022) - established L&D Fund.
2
IPCC Reports: — AR6 Synthesis Report (2023) - unequivocal human influence, urgency for 1.5°C.
3
India's Climate Action:

* NAPCC (2008): 8 missions (Solar, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture, Strategic Knowledge). * Updated NDCs (2022): 45% emissions intensity cut (by 2030 from 2005), 50% non-fossil capacity (by 2030), 2.5-3 Bt CO2 carbon sink (by 2030). * Net-Zero Target: 2070.

1
Legal & Constitutional: — Art 48A, 51A(g), Art 21 (Right to wholesome environment, Right against adverse effects of climate change - M.K. Ranjitsinh case 2024), EPA 1986, NGT 2010, FRA 2006.
2
Mitigation vs. Adaptation: — Clear distinction and examples.
3
Climate Finance: — GCF, $100 billion goal, Loss and Damage Fund.
4
Carbon Markets: — Carbon credits, ETS, CBAM (EU).
5
Key Terms: — Just Transition, Carbon Budget, Climate Resilience, Tipping Points. (Word count: 350)

Mains Revision Notes

1
Scientific Basis & Anthropogenic Drivers: — Explain enhanced greenhouse effect, role of GHGs, radiative forcing, and positive feedback loops (permafrost, ice-albedo). Emphasize human activities as primary cause.
2
Impacts (Sectoral & Cross-cutting):

* Agriculture: Erratic monsoons, yield reduction, food security. * Water: Scarcity/floods, glacial melt, saltwater intrusion. * Biodiversity: Habitat loss, species shifts, extinction risk (ocean acidification). * Health: Heat stress, vector-borne diseases, mental health. * Urban/Coastal: Heat islands, flash floods, sea level rise, displacement (climate refugees).

1
International Governance:

* UNFCCC/Paris Agreement: Goals, NDCs, Global Stocktake, CBDR-RC, climate justice. * COP Outcomes: Significance of COP28 (fossil fuel transition, L&D Fund). * Climate Finance: Mobilization challenges, GCF, Loss and Damage Fund (equity, access, operationalization). * Carbon Markets: ETS, carbon credits, CBAM (implications for India).

1
India's Climate Strategy:

* Policy: NAPCC (missions), Updated NDCs, Net-Zero 2070 (feasibility, challenges, opportunities). * Legal: Constitutional provisions (Art 48A, 51A(g), Art 21 expanded scope), EPA, NGT, FRA.

Judicial activism (M.C. Mehta, T.N. Godavarman, M.K. Ranjitsinh - 'Right against adverse effects of climate change'). * Mitigation: Renewable energy transition (500 GW target), energy efficiency, afforestation, CCUS.

* Adaptation: Climate-resilient agriculture, water management, early warning systems, infrastructure.

1
Vyyuha's Climate-Development Nexus: — Analyze trade-offs and synergies between development and climate action. Policy recommendations: Just Transition (reskilling, economic diversification), leveraging green growth, international finance, decentralized governance.
2
Challenges & Way Forward: — Implementation gaps, financing shortfalls, technology transfer, equity, need for integrated policy, multi-stakeholder approach. (Word count: 400)

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