Key facts

  • The Paris Agreement was adopted on 2015-12-12; it is the main global climate agreement because it links the temperature goal with nationally determine...
  • The IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report was finalised in 2023; it brings together climate science, impacts, adaptation and mitigation evidence.
  • The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted on 1994-06-17; it links desertification, land degradation and drought.
  • The Ramsar Convention was adopted on 1971-02-02; it focuses on wise use and maintenance of wetland ecological character.
  • The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 created the pollution-control board framework for water-pollution prevention and control.

Key Points at a Glance

  1. 1

    The Paris Agreement was adopted on 2015-12-12; it is the main global climate agreement because it links the temperature goal with nationally determined contributions.

  2. 2

    The IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report was finalised in 2023; it brings together climate science, impacts, adaptation and mitigation evidence.

  3. 3

    The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted on 1994-06-17; it links desertification, land degradation and drought.

  4. 4

    The Ramsar Convention was adopted on 1971-02-02; it focuses on wise use and maintenance of wetland ecological character.

  5. 5

    The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 created the pollution-control board framework for water-pollution prevention and control.

  6. 6

    The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 gives the Union government powers to set environmental quality and emission standards.

  7. 7

    ISFR 2023 reported forest and tree cover at 25.17 per cent of India's geographical area and recorded India's total forest and tree cover at 8,27,357 sq km.

  8. 8

    The National Air Quality Index uses 6 categories and builds sub-indices for 8 pollutants.

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Climate Change, Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

Climate change begins with climate forcing that alters temperature, rainfall, drought frequency and ecosystem stress. In objective questions, the basic chain is direct: greenhouse gases increase warming; warming shifts water, crop, habitat and settlement stress; mitigation and adaptation are the main responses. The greenhouse effect should therefore be connected to global warming, not memorised as an isolated term. Carbon footprint refers to greenhouse gases directly or indirectly supporting human activity.

The Paris Agreement is the standard global anchor. It was adopted on 2015-12-12 and uses the nationally determined contribution cycle. Its temperature goal is to keep warming well below 2 degree Celsius and pursue efforts towards 1.5 degree Celsius. The IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report, finalised in 2023, is important because it links heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and sea-level risks with ecological and economic impact.

For Vanpal-level recall, remember the driver-response pairing: greenhouse gases are the driver; mitigation lowers future forcing through cleaner energy, efficiency and land-use choices; adaptation protects people, crops, water bodies and habitats from damage already locked into the system. Exam takeaway: climate change is tested through definitions, Paris Agreement facts, IPCC reference, greenhouse gases, mitigation and adaptation.

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