Climate protection in politics: A review

Climate protection in politics: A review

Climate protection is not just a theoretical idea or concept, it is also a political imperative. Governments around the world are committed to tackling climate change and working towards sustainability. Politicians and political systems therefore play an essential role in climate protection. This article offers a comprehensive assessment of climate protection in politics and analyzes the extent to which politicians, politicians and governments have met the challenge and what measures they have taken.

Global context of climate protection

Understanding climate change

First, it is important to understand the urgency of climate change. Robust scientific research suggests that global temperatures are rising and that this increase is largely due to human activity. Burning fossil fuels and deforestation are just some of the activities that contribute to global warming and its associated consequences, such as rising sea levels, melting polar ice caps and extreme weather events.

Global action

The global community has taken increasing action to address climate change in recent decades. The Paris Agreement, agreed by 196 parties in 2015, served as an important milestone in expressing the world's readiness to combat climate change. It sets a long-term goal of keeping global average temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and making efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.

Climate protection in different countries: An overview

Every nation has unique challenges when it comes to climate change efforts. Here we present some examples of how different countries have actively integrated climate protection into their policies.

Germany

Germany is a pioneer in the area of ​​climate protection and has set a milestone in the promotion of renewable energies in the European Union. The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) has meant that Germany now sources over 40% of its electricity from renewable sources. Germany is also increasingly relying on sustainable solutions such as e-mobility in the mobility industry.

China

As the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, China has a significant influence on global climate protection. China has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2060 and has invested heavily in renewable energy, electromobility and green urban development in recent years. Nevertheless, coal and fossil fuels continue to be a large part of China's economy and energy policy.

USA

Under the Trump administration, the US left the Paris Agreement, but under Joe Biden's presidency the country rejoined the agreement and pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030. President Biden has also promised to invest in renewable energy and infrastructure as part of a $2 trillion plan to promote climate-friendly economic growth.

Climate protection initiatives at the political level

Emissions trading

Emissions trading systems, also known as cap-and-trade systems, are an effective policy measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These systems set a cap on the amount of emissions that industries can produce and enable trading of emissions certificates. This means that companies that produce fewer emissions can sell their excess allowances to companies that exceed their emissions limits. A prominent representative of this system is the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS).

Climate-neutral strategies

Many countries have committed to becoming climate neutral over the next few decades, i.e. reducing or offsetting their emissions to a level so that they do not release additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Germany, Sweden and France, for example, have announced that they will be climate neutral by 2050.

Conclusion: The creation of a sustainable policy

Although climate change is a global challenge, it requires a policy response at national and regional levels that integrates climate change objectives into all sectors and aspects of life and the economy. The world's leaders have a choice between two paths: one that maintains the status quo at the expense of future generations, and one that leads us to a more sustainable and just world.

Policy action and change can be slow and often frustrating, but it is an essential tool for addressing climate change. It is important to support and promote this process through informed voting decisions and active political participation. Only through our shared commitment and efforts can we secure a sustainable future.