https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho This project is to educate everyone about the issue of climate change and how it transcends national borders and is caused by, as well as affects every country on Earth. There are a few international organizations and agreements/treaties that have brought awareness, financially supported policy and technology, and decreased emissions that lead to climate change en-us 2021-10-26 18:46:48 UTC 2024-10-26 09:42:16 UTC hello@padlet.com anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1849288278 According to NASA, the definition of climate change is "a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates"
Global Warming is synonymous with Climate Change and is the warming of the Earth due to human activities since the pre-industrial period. 
The primary cause of these two phenomena is the heat-trapping greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) in the atmosphere which are due to the burning of fossil fuels. 
Global Warming disturbs nature in an extremely harmful and significant way. Temperatures become more severe, causing heat waves and droughts, which cause wildfires and more heat-related illnesses. This means that the ocean begins to warm, ice sheets melt, causing the waters to rise, threatening island communities and wildlife. Multiple species have already felt the effects of global warming, in the ocean, as well as on land. Finally, the effect on humans is already visible, with food shortages due to the extreme weather, and poverty and displacement surely rising in the future. All of these effects are visible and accountable and will get much worse in the future if we continue at the rate we are emitting greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels. 
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change

]]> 2021-10-27 19:31:27 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1849288278 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850417782 The United Nations has taken many steps to address the issue of Climate Change. The members of the U.N. participate in the conference (COP) for the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and in 2015 during this conference, major world leaders signed the Paris Agreement, which is the most well-known international treaty related to climate change. The COP usually meets on an annual basis and is where countries make decisions, implement the Convention, and review scientific reports about the state of climate change and emissions. 
https://unfccc.int/process/bodies/supreme-bodies/conference-of-the-parties-cop]]> 2021-10-28 05:30:58 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850417782 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850451686 According to the U.N. (https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop26) the three top goals are:

1. Not allow the global temperature to reach more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, "through rapid, bold emission cuts and net-zero commitments". 

2. Increase the financial capabilities of countries for adaptation of climate change policies

3. Meet the goal of $100 billion provided to underdeveloped countries for protection against climate change impacts and investment in green technologies.

]]> 2021-10-28 05:53:05 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850451686 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850526650 The IPCC is also a United Nations body, created in 1988 alongside the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), but it is worth studying it more in-depth. The IPCC does scientific reports and assessments to provide policymakers with important information about climate change, including its implications as well as potential solutions and options. However, the IPCC is not a research organization, it simply collects credible information from the scientific community, while also staying neutral and unbiased. It also does not attempt to directly influence the policies of countries but to provide objective facts to the 195 members.  (https://www.ipcc.ch/)]]> 2021-10-28 06:38:22 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850526650 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850674626 The Paris Agreement is a very important testament to international cooperation and a breakthrough treaty between 192 Parties. It entered into force on November 4, 2016, and its members have agreed to commitments to monitor and reduce their emissions.
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement]]> 2021-10-28 07:58:57 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850674626 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850730228 The Paris Treaty is full of long-term goals for every participating nation. These include limiting the global average temperature from rising above 2 degrees Celsius and achieving net-zero emissions. It also addresses financial goals and the needs of developing countries to join the effort and have the technology. There are provisions to review the progress of the countries involved in five-year cycles and make sure they work with each other while adapting to the changes that come with the issue of global warming. 
The Paris Agreement works as a framework with an end goal of net-zero emissions and also achieving what the U.N. calls their "Sustainable Development Goals".  
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement]]> 2021-10-28 08:32:00 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1850730228 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1852241505 The Kyoto Protocol is another international treaty under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with 192 parties currently in membership (but the US has not ratified). It was adopted in 1997, but due to strenuous ratification, it was not entered into force until February 2005. ]]> 2021-10-28 19:11:28 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1852241505 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924445292 Global Warming and Climate Change are influencing the Earth in a way that does not discriminate by country, or race, or anything else. Every single country contributes to the warming of the Earth, though some more than others, and every country is affected by the consequences. 
Since the 1970s, with the first UN conference on the environment, and the establishment of UNEP, the problems with the environment have become known and countries slowly began to interact with the goal of taking action against it. Since then, many IGOs, treaties, and conferences have been established to try and combat climate change and hold countries and corporations responsible for poor care of the environment. It has now become a household topic and issue, and the more the public becomes aware, the more they will push their respective governments to take action and hold themselves and other accountable.]]> 2021-12-02 05:55:56 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924445292 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924475094 The United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, was established in 1972 to be the "global authority", working within the United Nations for implementation of programs and setting environmental agenda. UNEP works with the 193 states that are members of the U.N. to provide leadership, as well as education to address environmental issues. They do this through the UN Environment Assembly, "the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment." By promoting environmental science and developing international agreements, UNEP also comes up with solutions to pass on to participating Member States.

https://www.unep.org/about-un-environment]]> 2021-12-02 06:24:12 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924475094 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924587063 The UN Environment assembly meets every two years to establish what are the priorities in international environmental policies and to develop global international law. It is "the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment." The UNEA was created in 2012 after the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+20). 
The aim of the Assembly is to give as much importance and attention in the international community as is given to issues such as world peace,poverty, hunger, and health.
The Committee of Permanent Representatives, which are Representatives from UNEP, is the intergovernmental body for the Assembly, and accounts for 118 members. 
https://www.unep.org/environmentassembly/about-united-nations-environment-assembly?_ga=2.240966917.763181779.1633334104-825198589.1628667604]]> 2021-12-02 07:54:31 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924587063 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924632316 The Kyoto Protocol is really important in the discussion about Climate Change as an international agreement because the agreeing parties are set to mandatory targets to reduce emissions and they are held to those limits and reductions. There is also an expectation to report on the policies they adopt and their progress within the allotted time periods. "The Kyoto Protocol sets binding emission reduction targets for 37 industrialized countries and economies in transition and the European Union. Overall, these targets add up to an average 5 per cent emission reduction compared to 1990 levels over the first five year period 2008–2012"
https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol]]> 2021-12-02 08:23:59 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924632316 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924653846 https://climate.nasa.gov/

NASA, as a respected independent agency of the United States, also has a lot of information about Climate Change and Global Warming. Many other states follow suit with that the United States does, because it is an influential world power with unique resources. Though there are many ways in which the United States could do better with environmental policy, including ratifying Treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol and being a permanent member of the Paris Agreement, there are a lot of independent organizations that lead the information streams about the effects of Climate Change.
With their resources, utilizing aerospace and other technologies, NASA has found direct evidence of the Earth's climate and temperature change. They have observed phenomena on and off the surface of Earth and have concluded that human activities are the biggest contributing factor. 
Primarily, the burning of fossil fuels has increased greenhouse gases that are causing the warming of the Earth. Without any human intervention, and after stopping these problematic activities, the Earth would naturally go into a cooling period. With the current rate that states and corporations are adding to this problem, the effects will be felt for decades to come and be detrimental for the next generations. 
NASA makes all of their findings available on a global scale, as an expert in Climate Change, as well as providing possible solutions for more sustainability. These include, as noted on their website: 
"-increase energy efficiency;
-increase the use of renewable energy;
-measure, report, and reduce NASA's direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions;
-conserve and protect water resources through efficiency, reuse, and stormwater management;
-eliminate waste, prevent pollution, and increase recycling;
-leverage agency acquisitions to foster markets for sustainable technologies and environmentally preferable materials, products, and services;
-design, construct, maintain, and operate high-performance sustainable buildings;
-utilize power management options and reduce the number of agency data centers;
-support economic growth and livability of the communities where NASA conducts business;
-evaluate agency climate change risks and vulnerabilities and develop mitigation and adaptation measures to manage both the short-and long-term effects of climate change on the agency's mission and operations;
-raise employee awareness and encourage each individual in the NASA community to apply the concepts of sustainability to every aspect of their daily work to achieve these goals;
-maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, local or territorial law and regulations related to energy security, a healthy environment, and environmentally-sound operations; and
-comply with internal NASA requirements and agreements with other entities." (https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/resources/)]]> 2021-12-02 08:37:12 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924653846 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924664525 Amnesty International has found that the most impacted groups by climate change are developing and underdeveloped nations, such as small island-states, poorer communities in large states, such as the ones in North America, that have to breathe toxic air from power plants and large industrial plants, women, and girls more than men because they are more likely to be marginalized and denied financial stability, future generations, and indigenous communities, who have a closer relationship to the natural world.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/climate-change/]]> 2021-12-02 08:44:18 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924664525 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924670091 According to the Climate Change Performance Index 2022, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are leading in climate protection achievements, while Egypt, the European Union, and the Philippines  have the least. With that being said, many countries, including Denmark and Sweden, do not have explicit strategies for achieving net-zero emissions anytime soon. 
https://www.statista.com/statistics/266138/climate-change-the-countries-with-the-highest-achievements/]]> 2021-12-02 08:47:48 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924670091 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924676962 Learning more about the international cooperation around a topic that affects everybody, like climate change, makes me hopeful, because I want to be optimistic that states will hold themselves and each other responsible. With that being said, there is still so much to achieve to make a long-lasting difference and make sure Earth is livable and sustainable for future generation. At the rate that states, corporations, and civilians are emitting greenhouse gases, it will not.
The Treaties and Organizations, mainly all of the efforts of the United Nations, are so important to uphold and continue. The only way to solve this detrimental problem is for everyone to work together. Every single person should become educated on this topic and make sure to let their voices be heard, holding their states accountable and making sure to do their own part to protect the environment.]]> 2021-12-02 08:52:30 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924676962 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924689760 The main challenge in addressing this global issue is that there is a lot of information and evidence to support it, but not clear strategies on how to combat it, and not a lot of agreement in the international community. Frankly, we do not have many other choices besides using fossil fuels, and the sustainable and environmentally friendly options are expensive and will take time to implement completely. Corporations who benefit from the industrialized way they have been operating for a long time would rather not lose money now to protect the Earth for the generations that will leave after we are all gone. Greed, misinformation, and indifference are proving to be huge obstacles to implementing policies. 

The achievements are not to be ignored. Just the fact that there are so many multilateral treaties and international organizations that have active members is an accomplishment, but this has to be just the beginning point. States mostly agree on the science, because it is irrefutable at this point, but point fingers at each other, arguing who is the more responsible party and how to set goals. 

Intergovernmental organizations have the role to educate, unite, hold responsible, advise, and come up with solutions for participating members to each go back to their own states and do their part in setting goals and policies. As is shown in the research, there are many of these IGOs and agreements that fall under the scope of already established global organizations, like the United Nations. The UN especially has a lot of authority and leverage over its member states to participate in these initiatives. ]]> 2021-12-02 09:01:34 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924689760 anizhamkoch73 https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924709693 As scholars, we need to be open-minded and rational about the information we receive on a daily basis. Climate change, in the United States especially, has become a political topic and something that people say is not deserving of attention or effort. In fact, right now we can clearly see the consequences that global warming has on the Earth, the temperature change, the natural phenomena, the loss of species, the poverty and food shortages, and countless other things. Climate Change is a global issue just as important as poverty, hunger, health, and security because frankly, it affects every one of those things in every state. I would recommend for anyone to do their own research if they still have doubts and more importantly, keep talking about this, because if politicians and governments all around the world see that their constituents care about this, they might try to make a change and become more active in these IGOs and the goals they have set. Though most of these emissions, fossil fuel burning, and environmental crimes are done by huge corporations, every individual can make small changes in their lives to also keep their own personal environment and the Earth as a whole safe. ]]> 2021-12-02 09:13:31 UTC https://padlet.com/anizhamkoch73/zq7xi15frzhyrzho/wish/1924709693