1) Terms
Discount rate is the future generation's well-being compared to the well-being of us — those
who are alive today. Discount rate is a significant concept to consider in terms of preserving the
environment and combating climate change, as we should aim to keep the discount rate as low as
we can for maximum benefits for future generations.
Anthropocene refers to the “human era,” where human dominance influences the climate and
environment. This concept is significant as humans are responsible for the environment in the
Anthropocene era compared to the Holocene era; this shift of responsibility proposed the idea
that humans should protect the planet from human-induced damage.
Green Climate Fund is a financial mechanism under UNFCCC to aid developing countries in
coping with climate change. This is significant as the fund allows developing countries to
combat, mitigate, or adapt to climate change where financial incentives and technology are
lacking, thus involving and prompting more efforts to reduce climate change damage.
Hydraulic fracturing is a technique to extract natural gas (or other fuels) by creating fractures
in formations to extract energy from underground wells. This is a significant concept as the pros
and cons of this technique are debated: on the one hand, extracting natural gas can reduce GHG
emissions in the short term, but on the other hand, hydraulic fracturing involves many risks like
contamination, waste, methane emissions, and air pollution.
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, a framework
under the United Nations aiming to stop deforestation. This establishment is significant as it
provides developing countries with information and guidance on forest conservation and
management, reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a national level.
2) Response
In the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, China committed to peaking carbon dioxide
emissions by 2030, lowering the CO2 emissions intensely, increasing non-fossil fuels, and
increasing forest stock (to offset emissions for the goal to be carbon-neutral). China has put in a
lot of effort to be on track with those goals, taking immense incentives to develop renewable
energy sources, transitioning to a service-based economy, trees plantations, and increasing
energy efficiency. However, more policies should be adopted to keep increasing energy
efficiency in industries, increasing the replacement of non-renewable energy with renewable
energy, and adapting to the global context (for example, the shortage of natural gas due to the
Russian-Ukraine war).
Discount rate is the future generation's well-being compared to the well-being of us — those
who are alive today. Discount rate is a significant concept to consider in terms of preserving the
environment and combating climate change, as we should aim to keep the discount rate as low as
we can for maximum benefits for future generations.
Anthropocene refers to the “human era,” where human dominance influences the climate and
environment. This concept is significant as humans are responsible for the environment in the
Anthropocene era compared to the Holocene era; this shift of responsibility proposed the idea
that humans should protect the planet from human-induced damage.
Green Climate Fund is a financial mechanism under UNFCCC to aid developing countries in
coping with climate change. This is significant as the fund allows developing countries to
combat, mitigate, or adapt to climate change where financial incentives and technology are
lacking, thus involving and prompting more efforts to reduce climate change damage.
Hydraulic fracturing is a technique to extract natural gas (or other fuels) by creating fractures
in formations to extract energy from underground wells. This is a significant concept as the pros
and cons of this technique are debated: on the one hand, extracting natural gas can reduce GHG
emissions in the short term, but on the other hand, hydraulic fracturing involves many risks like
contamination, waste, methane emissions, and air pollution.
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, a framework
under the United Nations aiming to stop deforestation. This establishment is significant as it
provides developing countries with information and guidance on forest conservation and
management, reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a national level.
2) Response
In the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, China committed to peaking carbon dioxide
emissions by 2030, lowering the CO2 emissions intensely, increasing non-fossil fuels, and
increasing forest stock (to offset emissions for the goal to be carbon-neutral). China has put in a
lot of effort to be on track with those goals, taking immense incentives to develop renewable
energy sources, transitioning to a service-based economy, trees plantations, and increasing
energy efficiency. However, more policies should be adopted to keep increasing energy
efficiency in industries, increasing the replacement of non-renewable energy with renewable
energy, and adapting to the global context (for example, the shortage of natural gas due to the
Russian-Ukraine war).
