Which one among the following statements with regard to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) is NOT correct?
- (a)The 'Global Stocktake' is the central outcome of COP28
- (b)It recognized the need to limit global warming to 1·5°C
- (c)It directed the developing countries to lead the transition away from fossil fuel
- (d)It emphasized accelerated phase-down of coal-power
Correct — C, It directed the developing countries to lead the transition away from fossil fuel. The Dubai conference did call on Parties to contribute to transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, but in a just, orderly and equitable manner, and the convention's own principle of common but differentiated responsibilities places the lead with developed countries. Nothing in the outcome directs developing countries to lead, and a conference decision is adopted by consensus rather than issued as a direction to a group of Parties. The other three options are accurate: the first Global Stocktake was the central outcome, the text recognises the need to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and it calls for accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power.
- (a)The 'Global Stocktake' is the central outcome of COP28 — This is correct. The first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement was concluded at Dubai, assessing collective progress and informing the next round of national commitments.
- (b)It recognized the need to limit global warming to 1·5°C — This is correct. The outcome restates the 1.5 degree limit and the deep, rapid and sustained emission reductions the science associates with it.
- (d)It emphasized accelerated phase-down of coal-power — This is correct. The text carries forward the coal language first agreed at Glasgow, calling for accelerated efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power.
The Global Stocktake is the Paris Agreement's review mechanism. Every five years the Parties assess collective progress towards the agreement's goals, and the finding informs the next round of nationally determined contributions rather than binding any individual country. The first stocktake, concluded at Dubai in December 2023, found the world off track and produced the first conference text to speak of transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
Three of the four options report what a climate conference does — take stock, restate a temperature goal, use hedged language about coal. The fourth uses the verb directed and assigns the burden to developing countries, and both features are out of character for a consensus text adopted under a convention built on differentiated responsibility. Reading for tone is a reliable way through such an item even without the decision text at hand.
- COP28 was held at Expo City, Dubai from 30 November to 13 December 2023.
- The first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement was concluded there.
- The outcome calls for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner.
- It calls for accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power, carrying forward the Glasgow language.
- The loss and damage fund agreed at Sharm El-Sheikh was operationalised on the opening day at Dubai.
The failing option is the only one that issues a direction rather than reporting a consensus decision.
- Reading a conference outcome as a binding direction to a group of countries.
- Confusing phase-down with phase-out; the coal language has never gone that far.
- Attributing the loss and damage fund's creation to Dubai; it was agreed at Sharm El-Sheikh a year earlier.
A which-is-not-correct item on a recent conference, where the wrong option can be spotted by its verb and by who it puts in the lead.
With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go into effect in 2017. 2. The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2°C or even 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 3. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change. Select the correct answer
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(b) 2 only
The agreement whose review this conference carried out. Its temperature goal is the one restated at Dubai, and its third statement fails the same way option (c) does here, by overstating what the text commits countries to.
What is 'Climate Neutral Now' initiative? 1. It encourages organizations and other interested stakeholders to act now in order to achieve a carbon neutral world by 2030. 2. It derives its aims from the Paris Agreement. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer(b) 2 only
The same testing method on the same regime. That item plants its error in a target year; this one plants it in who is asked to lead, and both are settled by knowing what the Paris framework actually says.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement is conducted
- (a)Every year
- (b)Every two years
- (c)Every five years
- (d)Only once
Answer(c) Every five years — the first was concluded at Dubai in 2023.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The coal language agreed at Glasgow in 2021 and carried forward at Dubai refers to
- (a)Immediate phase-out of all coal power
- (b)Phase-down of unabated coal power
- (c)A ban on new coal mines
- (d)A global carbon tax on coal
Answer(b) Phase-down of unabated coal power — the wording changed from phase-out to phase-down at Glasgow.