Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Stocktaking the calamity: On climate crisis and the U.N. Global Stocktake report

Stocktaking the calamity: On climate crisis and the U.N. Global Stocktake report

The world needs genuine breakthroughs in climate talks (वार्ता)

The climate crisis intricately (जटिल रूप से, विस्तारपूर्वक) wove itself into the G-20 (The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population) summit (सम्मेलन, बैठक) in Delhi, particularly during the discussions on clean energy (स्वच्छ ऊर्जा), sustainable (supportable, acceptable, trustworthy, reasonable, sensible, reliable, dependable, well-founded (without disturbing the balance of nature and then without exhausting all of the natural resources)) development and the collective (सामूहिक) responsibility necessary to avert (टालना, रोकना) it. The United Nations’ Global Stocktake (review, assess, analyze (one’s situation)), a report that was released just ahead of the G-20 meet, set out (present, describe, put forward, propose, state, explain, detail) the scope of challenges that awaited (प्रतीक्षा करना) the major economies of the world even as it presented little beyond what is already known. This stocktake is to serve as (act as, function as) a template to guide discussion ahead of the 28th Conference of Parties scheduled (plan, arrange or organize (an event) to happen at a specific time) in Dubai this November and is meant to be an official reckoning (गणना) of the work actually done by countries since 2015, in stemming (stop, restrict, control, contain, lessen, reduce) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. That year, signatories (हस्ताक्षरकर्ता) to the UN convention (agreement, pact, treaty, deal, compact, accord, protocol) on climate change (जलवायु परिवर्तन) agreed in Paris to keep global emissions from rising beyond 2°C and, as far as (to the extent that) possible, limit (सीमित करना) it to 1.5°C. Though it acknowledges (स्वीकार करना) “some” headway (प्रगति, उन्नति), the world, as of now (at this moment), is emitting gases in a manner that will certainly overshoot (be more than something, be greater than; go beyond, exceed) the Paris-agreed limit. The report unequivocally (स्पष्ट रूप से) states that “much more ambition in action and support” is necessary for implementing domestic mitigation (moderation, reduction, decrease, eradication) measures (action, act, step, move) to reduce global GHG emissions by 43% by 2030, 60% by 2035 and reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 globally. Based on current (present) information submitted by countries, the emissions gap consistent (in accordance with, in agreement with, in line with, compatible with) with 1.5°C in 2030 is estimated to be 20.3 billion tonnes–23.9 billion tonnes of CO2. These are gaps unlikely (doubtful, implausible, improbable, questionable) to be filled without a rapid upscaling (upgrade; to increase the scale (size) of something; to improve the quality of something) of renewable energy resources and an eschewal (avoid, ignore, reject, rebuff, refuse) of fossil fuel (non renewable resources (or fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are formed from the buried/deposited organic materials)) sources such as coal, oil and natural gas (colourless, odorless highly flammable gaseous hydrocarbon consisting primarily of methane and ethane occurring naturally underground. It is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of plants and animals). However despite several acknowledgements (acceptance, admission, understanding, recognition, realization, awareness, sensitivity (of a situation)) by world leaders, most recently at the G-20, of the magnitude (intensity, immensity; importance, significance, weight) of the crisis, little has been achieved in terms of (with regard to, concerning, regarding, with reference to) energy transition (the shift from an energy mix based on fossil fuels to one that produces very limited, if not zero, carbon emissions, based on renewable energy sources). G-20 countries account for (constitute, comprise, form, compose, make up, represent) 93% of global operating coal power plants and 88% of prospective (possible, potential, probable, forthcoming, eventual, future) ones.

The G-20 Leader’s Declaration formally recognised (acknowledge, accept, admit, realize, understand) the need for “...$5.8-5.9 trillion in the pre-2030 period required for developing countries ...as well as $4 trillion per year for clean energy technologies by 2030 to reach net zero by 2050”. The report also dwells on (to think, speak or write about a specific thing for a long time (especially something that is a source of sadness or displeasure); speak at length about, write at length about, discuss something at length, nag/badger someone about) the need to reverse (change, undo, cancel, overrule, override, annul, invalidate, withdraw) deforestation (it is when humans remove or clear large areas of forest lands and related ecosystems for non-forest use) and the adoption (acceptance, approval, endorsement, promotion, support, backing) of electric vehicles as vital prongs (aspect, element, part (of a plan/approach)) to a clean energy economy; however, it does not single out (choose, pick out, select, pick out, hand-pick, separate, differentiate, set apart) individual countries or provide a more granular (detailed, precise, minute) analysis of where the existing shortcomings (fault, flaw, imperfection/defect) are in the approach adopted by countries to curtail (reduce, decrease, limit) emissions. The Stocktake report however must not be dismissed (reject, deny, avoid, refuse, put away, spurn, decline, brush off, pay no heed to) as yet another technical document. During the upcoming climate talks, it must form the basis of negotiations (discussion, discourse, debate, parley, deliberation, dialogue, talks) to aid (help, assist, support, back) the discovery and adoption of genuine breakthroughs.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.calamity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आपदा
English Meaning - disaster, catastrophe, crisis, tragedy.

2.talks (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वार्ता
English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, negotiation, parley.

3.intricately (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जटिल रूप से, विस्तारपूर्वक
English Meaning - complicatedly, perplexingly, challengingly.

4.summit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सम्मेलन, बैठक
English Meaning - meeting, conference, conclave (international meeting/conference of heads of state/government).

5.clean energy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्वच्छ ऊर्जा
English Meaning - green/renewable energy; energy generated from natural resources (such as water, wind & solar energy).

6.collective (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सामूहिक
English Meaning - common, shared, joint, combined.

7.avert (verb)

Hindi Meaning - टालना, रोकना
English Meaning - prevent, stop, avoid.

8.await (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतीक्षा करना
English Meaning - wait for.

9.reckoning (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गणना
English Meaning - calculation, estimation, computation, summation; opinion, appraisal, judgement, evaluation.

10.signatory (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हस्ताक्षरकर्ता
English Meaning - the person who signed an official document/agreement. (in this context, it is a country that signs an agreement).

11.climate change (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जलवायु परिवर्तन
English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth (Courtesy: NASA).

12.limit (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सीमित करना
English Meaning - restrict, curb, control.

13.acknowledge (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्वीकार करना
English Meaning - accept, recognize, realize.

14.headway (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रगति, उन्नति
English Meaning - progress, advancement, moving forward, forward movement.

15.unequivocally (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - स्पष्ट रूप से
English Meaning - absolutely, explicitly, directly, clearly, categorically, conclusively, unconditionally, unqualifiedly, unambiguously.

16.stocktake (verb)

English Meaning - review, assess, analyze (one’s situation).

17.Global stocktake (noun)

English Meaning - The global stocktake enables countries and other stakeholders to see where they’re collectively making progress toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement - and where they’re not. It’s like taking inventory; countries laying out what they have so far done to achieve commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement.

18.breakthrough (noun)

English Meaning - very important/significant development or progress; advancement, improvement.

19.wove past tense of weave (verb)

English Meaning - entwine, intertwine, interlace, intertwist, twist together.

20.G-20 (noun)

English Meaning - The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population.

21.sustainable (adjective)

English Meaning - supportable, acceptable, trustworthy, reasonable, sensible, reliable, dependable, well-founded (without disturbing the balance of nature and then without exhausting all of the natural resources).

22.set out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - present, describe, put forward, propose, state, explain, detail.

23.serve as (verb)

English Meaning - act as, function as.

24.Conference of the Parties (COP) (noun)

English Meaning - The Conference of Parties (COP) is the apex decision-making body of the United Nations Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC was formed in 1994 to stabilize the greenhouse gas emissions and to protect the earth from the threat of climate change. COP members have been meeting every year since the year 1995. As of 2022, the number of member countries in the UNFCCC has reached 198. The first conference (COP1) was held in 1995 in Berlin. The 27th session (COP27) was held in 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

25.COP 28 (noun)

English Meaning - The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC will convene from 30 November to 12 December 2023. It will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

26.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (noun)

English Meaning - The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it has near-universal membership. The 197 countries that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention. Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system is the ultimate aim of the UNFCCC.

27.schedule (verb)

English Meaning - plan, arrange or organize (an event) to happen at a specific time.

28.stem (verb)

English Meaning - stop, restrict, control, contain, lessen, reduce.

29.greenhouse gas (GHGs) (noun)

English Meaning - heat-trapping gas; a gas (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation, causing the greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s temperature. (Courtesy: VOA Learning English).

30.convention (noun)

English Meaning - agreement, pact, treaty, deal, compact, accord, protocol.

31.Paris Agreement/Accord (noun)

English Meaning - The Paris Agreement builds upon the Convention (agreement) and for the first time brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. The Paris Agreement central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

32.carbon emission (noun)

English Meaning - the release of carbon into the atmosphere.

33.(carbon) emissions (noun)

English Meaning - Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions.

34.as far as (phrase)

English Meaning - to the extent that.

35.as of now (phrase)

English Meaning - at this moment.

36.overshoot (verb)

English Meaning - be more than something, be greater than; go beyond, exceed.

37.mitigation (noun)

English Meaning - moderation, reduction, decrease, eradication.

38.measure (noun)

English Meaning - action, act, step, move.

39.net zero emissions/carbon neutrality (noun)

English Meaning - it means annual zero net CO2 emissions; Carbon neutrality means every ton of anthropogenic (human-caused or influenced) CO2 emitted is compensated with an equivalent amount of CO2 removed (e.g. via carbon sink or carbon sequestration).

40.current (adjective)

English Meaning - present.

41.consistent (adjective)

English Meaning - in accordance with, in agreement with, in line with, compatible with.

42.unlikely (adjective)

English Meaning - doubtful, implausible, improbable, questionable.

43.upscale (verb)

English Meaning - upgrade; to increase the scale (size) of something; to improve the quality of something.

44.eschew (verb)

English Meaning - avoid, ignore, reject, rebuff, refuse.

45.eschewal (noun)

English Meaning - the act of keeping away from something undesirable.

46.fossil fuel (noun)

English Meaning - non renewable resources (or fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are formed from the buried/deposited organic materials).

47.natural gas (noun)

English Meaning - colourless, odorless highly flammable gaseous hydrocarbon consisting primarily of methane and ethane occurring naturally underground. It is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of plants and animals.

48.acknowledgement (noun)

English Meaning - acceptance, admission, understanding, recognition, realization, awareness, sensitivity (of a situation).

49.magnitude (noun)

English Meaning - intensity, immensity; importance, significance, weight.

50.in terms of (phrase)

English Meaning - with regard to, concerning, regarding, with reference to.

51.energy transition (noun)

English Meaning - the shift from an energy mix based on fossil fuels to one that produces very limited, if not zero, carbon emissions, based on renewable energy sources.

52.account for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - constitute, comprise, form, compose, make up, represent.

53.prospective (adjective)

English Meaning - possible, potential, probable, forthcoming, eventual, future.

54.G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (noun)

English Meaning - On September 9 and 10, 2023 the G20 New Delhi Summit was held in New Delhi, hosted by India as the G20 Presidency. At the G20 Summit, under the theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” important issues such as food security, climate and energy, development, health and digitalization were discussed. The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration was issued as the summary of the discussions. The biggest takeaway of the declaration was that all 83 paras of the declaration were passed unanimously with a 100 per cent consensus along with China and Russia in agreement.

55.recognize (verb)

English Meaning - acknowledge, accept, admit, realize, understand.

56.dwell on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to think, speak or write about a specific thing for a long time (especially something that is a source of sadness or displeasure); speak at length about, write at length about, discuss something at length, nag/badger someone about.

57.reverse (verb)

English Meaning - change, undo, cancel, overrule, override, annul, invalidate, withdraw.

58.deforestation (noun)

English Meaning - it is when humans remove or clear large areas of forest lands and related ecosystems for non-forest use.

59.adoption (noun)

English Meaning - acceptance, approval, endorsement, promotion, support, backing.

60.prong (noun)

English Meaning - aspect, element, part (of a plan/approach).

61.single out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - choose, pick out, select, pick out, hand-pick, separate, differentiate, set apart.

62.granular (adjective)

English Meaning - detailed, precise, minute.

63.shortcoming (noun)

English Meaning - fault, flaw, imperfection/defect.

64.curtail (verb)

English Meaning - reduce, decrease, limit.

65.dismiss (verb)

English Meaning - reject, deny, avoid, refuse, put away, spurn, decline, brush off, pay no heed to.

66.negotiation (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, parley, deliberation, dialogue, talks.

67.aid (verb)

English Meaning - help, assist, support, back.