Which among the following did the Paris Agreement of 2021 replaced?

The correct answer is Kyoto Protocol.

Key Points

• The Paris Agreement of 2021, an international treaty on climate change, replaced the Kyoto Protocol.
• The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by assigning mandatory targets to developed countries.
• The Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels.
• Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, which had binding emission reduction targets, the Paris Agreement allows countries to set their own targets and report their progress.

Additional Information

• Kyoto Protocol
  • The Kyoto Protocol was the first treaty to implement the objective of the UNFCCC to combat climate change.
  • It placed a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities."
  • The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol was from 2008 to 2012.
  • The second commitment period, known as the Doha Amendment, was from 2013 to 2020, though it was not ratified by enough countries to enter into force.
• Paris Agreement
  • The Paris Agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015, at COP21 in Paris and entered into force on November 4, 2016.
  • It aims to enhance the global response to climate change by keeping global temperature rise this century well below 2°C.
  • Countries must submit nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and update them every five years.
  • It also emphasizes the need for financial flows to be consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.
• UNFCCC
  • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty adopted on May 9, 1992.
  • Its objective is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
  • The UNFCCC has near-universal membership, with 197 countries that have ratified the convention.
• Greenhouse Gases
  • Greenhouse gases (GHGs) include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.
  • These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change.
  • Reducing GHG emissions is crucial to mitigating the impacts of climate change.