Climate Change and International Environmental Law: Examining the Effectiveness of Existing Frameworks and Proposing New Approaches

Climate change has emerged as the central challenge of international environmental law, Since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, global governance has expanded through the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, establishing mechanisms for mitigation, adaptation, finance, and transparency. However, the first Global Stocktake (GST) in 2023–24 confirmed that current commitments remain insufficient to achieve the Paris temperature goals. This paper examines the evolution and effectiveness of existing frameworks, evaluates their shortcomings in delivering tangible climate outcomes, and explores possible new legal and institutional approaches to strengthen climate governance. Particular attention is given to India’s role within the regime, reflecting its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), and National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The analysis concludes that while the architecture of international climate law has proven resilient and inclusive, its implementation gap is profound. More stringent NDC design, explicit commitments on fossil fuel phase-out, innovative finance, and integration with domestic governance are necessary to realign the system with the urgency of climate science.