Climate change is probably the most complex issue that the humanity has every faced. Climate change issue comprises many interlinking issues and dimensions– science, economics, society, politics, and moral and ethical considerations. The problem is global, however, experienced more severely in local scales (1). There are actually two major paths to respond to climate crisis:

1. Mitigation: Reducing emissions of and stabilizing the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Mitigation means reducing climate change through minimizing the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. developing countries are primarily responsible for the mitigation activities (1, 2).
2. Adaptation: Adapting to the climate change already in the pipeline. Adaptation refers to coping or adapting to the life in a changing climate and climate extremes. The goal is to reduce our risks from the negative impacts of climate change. Developing and least developing countries are more focused to their adaptation needs (1, 2).

To respond the climate crisis, United Nations first established a legal instrument: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). During the “Earth Summit” in 1992, the UNFCCC was first established officially identifying climate change as a major problem. UNFCCC now has 197 member countries with an ultimate aim to prevent the “dangerous” human interference with the climate system (3).

Kyoto Protocol: the Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the UNFCCC by committing industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. Currently, there are 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (4).

Paris Agreement: The Paris Agreement is the legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted in COP21 in Paris in 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. There are now 196 signatory Parties to the Paris Agreement. The aim of the Paris Agreement is to limit the global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels (5).

References

1. NASA. Responding to Climate Change 2023 [Available from: https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/.
2. Chandler W, Secrest T, Logan J, Schaeffer R, Szklo A, Schuler M, et al. Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries. Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey. Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Arlington, VA (United States); 2002.
3. UN. Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet: United Nations; undated [Available from: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/climate-change.
4. UNFCCC. What is the Kyoto Protocol? : United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); undated [Available from: https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol.
5. UNFCCC. The Paris Agreement: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); undated [Available from: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement.