Question 81 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Environment

Question

Consider the following pairs:
Terms sometimes seen in the news - Their origin
1. Annex-I Countries - Cartagena Protocol
2. Certified Emissions Reductions - Nagoya Protocol
3. Clean Development Mechanisms - Kyoto Protocol
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 3 only

Strategy: Analyze each term-protocol pair based on factual knowledge of international environmental agreements.
1.  **Annex-I Countries:** These are developed countries with emission reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, not the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
2.  **Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs):** These are credits from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, not the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing.
3.  **Clean Development Mechanism (CDM):** This is a flexibility mechanism established under the Kyoto Protocol. This pair is correctly matched.
Conclude that only pair 3 is correct, corresponding to option C.

Key Info: **Annex-I Countries**
- Refers to industrialized countries and economies in transition (EITs) listed in Annex I of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- These countries committed to quantitative emission reduction targets for greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol.
- The list includes members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and countries with economies in transition (e.g., Russian Federation, Ukraine, and several Central and Eastern European States).

**Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety**
- An international agreement adopted in January 2000 as a supplementary protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
- Its objective is to ensure the safe handling, transport, and use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking into account human health.

**Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs)**
- These are tradable units representing a reduction of one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) achieved through a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project.
- CERs are issued by the CDM Executive Board to Annex I countries (or entities within them) that implement emission-reduction projects in non-Annex I (developing) countries.
- They can be used by Annex I countries to help meet their emission reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

**Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS)**
- A supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), adopted in October 2010.
- It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.
- It aims to create greater legal certainty and transparency for both providers and users of genetic resources.

**Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)**
- One of the three market-based mechanisms established under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol.
- It allows Annex I countries (or companies in these countries) to implement emission-reduction projects in developing (non-Annex I) countries.
- These projects generate Certified Emission Reductions (CERs), which can be used by Annex I Parties to meet their emission reduction targets.
- The CDM was intended to promote sustainable development in developing countries and help Annex I countries meet their emission reduction commitments cost-effectively.

**Kyoto Protocol**
- An international treaty adopted in December 1997 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- It sets internationally binding emission reduction targets for greenhouse gases for industrialized countries (Annex I Parties).
- It introduced market-based mechanisms (e.g., Emission Trading, Joint Implementation, and Clean Development Mechanism) to help countries meet their targets efficiently.
- It came into force in February 2005 and was succeeded by the Paris Agreement.

**United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)**
- An international environmental treaty adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
- Its objective is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
- The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement are key instruments developed under the UNFCCC framework.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 and 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3

Consider the following pairs: Terms sometimes seen in the news - Their origin Annex-I Countries - Cartagena Protocol Certified Emissions Reductions - Nagoya Protocol Clean Development Mechanisms - Kyoto Protocol Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Consider the following pairs:
Terms sometimes seen in the news - Their origin

Annex-I Countries - Cartagena Protocol

Certified Emissions Reductions - Nagoya Protocol

Clean Development Mechanisms - Kyoto Protocol
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?