Question 81 from UPSC CSE 2025 - Environme nt & Ecology

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change.
2. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change sets out the principles of carbon markets.
3. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change intends to promote inter-country non-market strategies to reach their climate targets.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

Strategy: Focus on the keywords: Article 6, carbon markets, and non-market strategies. Article 6 is repeatedly discussed because of its carbon markets (statement II) and non-market cooperation (statement III) provisions, both globally relevant for sustainable development. Both statements describe elements of Article 6 and thus explain why Article 6 is a major discussion point internationally. Match both to Statement I for the correct answer.

Key Info: Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (2015) provides the framework for voluntary international cooperation to achieve climate targets, notably offering both market-based and non-market-based approaches for Parties to fulfill their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):

- Article 6.2 addresses the use of 'Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes' (ITMOs), allowing emission reductions to be traded between countries, aiding cost-effective mitigation and counting towards NDCs. Strict accounting and transparency protocols are stipulated.
- Article 6.4 establishes a new central UNFCCC-run crediting mechanism to replace the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). This allows the creation and global trade of emission reduction credits.
- Article 6.8 recognizes the importance of non-market approaches, encouraging collaborative strategies that do not involve tradable credits. Examples include policy coordination, technology partnerships, capacity-building, and adaptation finance.
- The article facilitates the scaling up of ambition, leveraging international cooperation and finance, and is frequently highlighted in climate conferences (COPs) due to the complexity and importance of rules for robust global carbon markets and new non-market partnerships.
- The Paris Agreement overall is a legally binding international treaty under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aiming to limit global temperature rises to well below 2°C, with efforts to limit them to 1.5°C. Article 6 remains one of the most complex and continuously negotiated aspects of the Agreement.
- Major global debates hinge on environmental integrity, avoidance of double-counting, and equitable access to carbon finance for developing countries.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct