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How should nations respond to growing concerns over climate change?
Email your opinions to Editor-in-Chief Fatima Yousuf at [email protected]
UNITED STATES - The Clean Air Act was passed in 1963. The Environmental Protection Agency was also created about the same time Congress expanded the mandate. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated $16.8bn to energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. In 2016, the Electrify Africa Act was passed, which promotes renewable energy projects, and support the energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa.
INDIA - The 2008 National Climate Action Plan builds on Energy Conservation Act to achieve energy efficiency. Further, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency was established under the Act to implement the Act’s provisions. The Finance Bill 2010-11 provided for the
creation of the National Clean Energy Fund to fund projects and research in clean energy technologies. Slowly but steadily, the influence of climate legislation on climate regulation is becoming more evident.
A twentyfold increase in the number of climate change laws since 1997 has been observed but, however, does not reflect an increase in the number of countries passing climate change-relevant laws. Even so, several countries are becoming increasingly aware and active on climate change strategies.
CHINA - The Renewable Energy Act of 2006 was enacted for the purpose of “promoting the development and utilization of renewable energy,...safeguarding the safety of energy, protecting environment and realizing a sustainable economic and social development,” as stated in Article 1, Chapter I General Provisions. The 2015 Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution further suggests that China should further popularize utilization of clean energy.
BRAZIL - Law 13.186 on the Policy for Education on Sustainable Consumption introduces a Policy for Education on Sustainable Consumption in order to encourage ecologically sustainable consumer practices (Article 1). Similarly, the Law 13.576 on National Biofuels Policy and Decree 9.308 provide to “to contribute to the adequate relation of energy efficiency and reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases in the production, commercialization and use of biofuels, including mechanisms of evaluation of life cycle” (Article 1).