Discuss global warming and mention its effects on the global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which cause global warming, in the light of the Kyoto Protocol, 1997.

As per IPCC 5th Assessment Report, Global Warming is defined as an increase in combined surface air and sea surface temperatures averaged over the globe and over a 30-year period.

Effects of Global Warming on Global Climate:

1. Rise in temperature leading to ice melt: Thinning ice of Northern Seas will make the atmospheric conditions vulnerable to control. 
2. Threat to Marine Life: Leads to destruction to marine and coral life underwater. 
3. Loss of Settlements: Rise to Sea level threatens infrastructure and human settlements. 
4. Impact on Health: Crop failure due to global warming leads to food insecurity and malnutrition.

Control measures, in light of Kyoto protocol (KP) (1997):- It commits industrialised countries to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It binds emission reduction targets only for developed countries. However, the Protocol also offers three market-based mechanisms:

• 1. Emissions trading (Carbon trading): A new commodity was created in the form of emission reductions or removals. Carbon is now tracked and traded like any other commodity. This is often termed the carbon market.
• 2. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): It is defined as it allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries such as a rural electrification project using solar panels or the installation of more energy-efficient boilers.
• 3. Joint implementation (JI): It allows a country with an emission reduction or limitation commitment to earn emission reduction units (ERUs) from an emission-reduction or emission removal project in another country, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting its Kyoto target.

Hence, National Clean Air Programme, Global Air Quality Guidelines, National Action Plan for Climate Change, UNFCCC provide an effort for reducing GHG abatement in the developed countries and also in developing countries.