Iran’s commitments toward meeting the goals of Paris Agreement: harnessing the global temperature rise

Аннотация

Since its inception in Rio, 1992, United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) has held 23 Conference of Parties (COP). COP21 of Paris, December 2015, by consensus, is a breakthrough in more than 25 years of debates and disputes over climate change and global warming issues. COP21 invites the world players to reduce the Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, to limit Planet’s temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, if not below 1.5, by the end of the 21st century. To meet the challenge, the main recommendations of the agreement are as follows: COP21 invites its member to propose an intended Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), towards meeting its goals, proportionate to their administrative, economic, and technological capabilities. NDCs are required to be Measurable, Reportable, and Verifi able (MRV). NDCs should be revised every 5 years on the basis of knowledge and experience gained in the process. COP21 urges the developed countries to assist the developing ones, technology-, fi nance-, and knowhow-wise to develop and execute their NDCs. Recommendations of COP12 are nonbinding. Islamic Republic of Iran is a member of UNFCCC since 1996. President H. Rouhani attended the Paris Conference and pledged to reduce Iran’s GHG emissions: a) Voluntarily by 4% in the period 2020-30; and b) Conditionally by an additional 8% by 2050. The reference year for GHG reductions is 2010 on BAU basis. Conditions for the 8% reduction are, the availability of fi nancial and technological means, and lifting of the sanctions imposed upon the country. Again, the pledges are non-binding, as for all UNFCCC parties. A Working Group on Climate Change (WGCC), stationed in the Department of Environment of Iran (DOE), is the liaison with UNFCCC. WGCC is given the task of drawing up Iran’s NDC. A fi rst draft of this document is now available to public.