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A Brief History on Climate Change

Above: World leaders agree a plan to limit average global temperature rise to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels in Paris in 2015.
 

1827 Greenhouse Effect: Jean-Baptiste Fourier suggests the existence of an atmospheric effect keeping the earth warmer than it would otherwise be. He uses the analogy of a greenhouse.

1896 Global Warming: Arrhenius, a Swedish chemist, advances the theory that carbon dioxide emissions from combustion of coal would enhance the earth's greenhouse effect and lead to global warming.

1967 Global Temperature Warning: the first reliable computer simulation calculates that global average temperature may increase by more than 4^oC when the atmospheric carbon dioxide level reaches double that of pre-industrial times.

1987 Ice-Core Evidence: An ice core from Antarctica analysed by French and Russian scientists reveals an extremely close correlation between carbon dioxide levels and temperatures going back more than 100,000 years.

1992 Climate Change At Rio Earth Summit: The Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCC), signed by 154 nations in Rio de Janeiro, agrees to prevent ‘dangerous' warming from greenhouse gases and sets an initial target of reducing emissions from industrialised countries to 1990 levels by the year 2000. President George Bush (Senior) signs on behalf of the United States.

2001 Kyoto Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol agrees legally binding emissions cuts for industrialised nations, averaging 5.5%, to be met by 2010.

2005 Kyoto Protocol Signed: 178 countries had signed the Kyoto Protocol by this point.

2005 Kyoto Protocol came into force after at least 55 Parties to the Convention, responsible between them for at least 55% of total carbon dioxide emission in 1990, had agreed the protocol in their own country.

2008 The Climate Change Act: The Climate Change Act sets legally binding targets for the UK to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. An independent body, the Committee on Climate Change, is set up to recommend carbon budgets and check the government’s progress against them. This landmark piece of legislation has since provided inspiration for other countries around the world.

2015 The Paris Agreement: Heads of state from 195 countries met to adopt the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal. The agreement aims to ensure that global temperature rises are limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Ahead of the meeting each country submitted their own action plan to the conference. The Paris Agreement acts as bridge between current policies and climate-neutrality by 2100.

2016 Paris Ratified: The Paris Agreement came into force on 4^th November 2016, by which time at least 55 countries, representing at least 55% of global emissions, had ratified, accepted or approved the agreement in their own country.

2019 Climate Emergency: Many Local Authorities in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire declared climate emergencies. The UK Parliament declared a climate emergency. The Climate Change Act of 2008 is updated; instead of aiming for 80% cuts in emissions compared to 1990 levels, we are now aiming for Net Zero Carbon by 2050.

2020 UK's Ten Point Plan:  UK Government announces a ten point plan for a green industrial revolution on the 18th November. The ten point plan sets out the approach government will take to build back better, support green jobs, and accelerate our path to net zero .

2021 One Planet Summet: More than 50 countries commit to protection of 30% of Earth's land and oceans at One Planet Summit 2021.

2021 USA Rejoins Paris Climate Agreement: President Joe Biden, signed an executive order for the USA to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement on January 20, 2021, reversing the withdrawal that took effect on November 4, 2020.

2021 The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26): COP26 was held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, UK from 31 October to 13 November 2021. The president of the conference was UK cabinet minister Alok Sharma. 

• More than 100 world leaders, representing 85% of the world’s forest, promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030
   
• More than 40 countries, including major coal-users including Poland, Vietnam and Chile, agreed to shift away from coal.
   
• Some 450 financial organisations agreed to back "clean" technology and direct finance away from fossil fuel-burning industries.
   
• US and China pledged to boost climate co-operation over the next decade, on a range of issues including clean energy & de-carbonisation