How Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulated By The International Community?

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change, adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in 2015. Its overarching goal is to limit global greenhouse gas emissions to around 1.5°C (2.7°F) by 2025 and reduce them by 43 by 2030. This research provides an overview of global GHG emissions from 1970 to 2022 for the world’s most polluting countries, including the United States, China, India, and Russia.

To achieve this goal, each new law reduces annual carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 0.78 nationally in the short term. The ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at a level that limits warming to well below 2°C.

Air quality improvements resulting from a worldwide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would benefit human health and prevent economic losses. A report by scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, found that unless there are immediate, the chances of crossing the global warming level of 1.5°C in the next decades are low.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, individuals can use less electricity, generate electricity without emissions, shrink the footprint of food, and travel without making emissions. Carbon taxes encourage people, businesses, and governments to emit less, while renewable energy sources like solar panels and green tags can help reduce emissions.

International efforts to reduce GHG emissions have involved several significant initiatives and agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol, which was adopted in 1997. Reforestation is an accessible and economical way to contribute to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, and other Nature-Based initiatives are working to influence governments to reduce emissions, conserve vital forests, and help developing countries cope with a changing climate.