Kyoto Protocol Kyoto Agreement

Written By Admin
Dated: March 11, 2007

View More Articles

Print Friendly Page

Kyoto Protocol

You likely have heard of the Kyoto Protocol, vaguely associating it with global warming, but you may not be familiar with what this term really means and what it all entails.

The Kyoto Protocol is actually the short name for the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Protocol is, according to Wikipedia, “an amendment to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to signatory nations.”

In other words, it’s a revision to the treaty on climate change that sets specific goals for participating countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions; specifically, carbon dioxide, as well as five other gases. If a party does not reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, by carbon neutral or other methods, it agrees to enter into emissions trading.

There are several principles at the heart of the Kyoto Protocol:

-parties are divided into either Annex 1 countries (developed; accepted GHG emission reduction target obligation) or Non-Annex 1 countries (developing; no GHG emission reduction responsibility but can become involved with the Clean Development Mechanism);
-the first commitment period is from 2008-2012, during which Annex 1 countries must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of five percent below their 1990 levels, although this amount varies between countries;
-Annex 1 countries who don’t meet their target will have to submit 1.3 emission allowances for every ton of greenhouse gas emissions they surpass their 2008-2012 limit; and
-flexible linking mechanisms are in place between Annex 1 countries and Non-Annex 1 countries, allowing Annex 1 countries to meet their targets by purchasing “Carbon Credits” from Non-Annex 1 countries who have implemented GHG Projects. This is also a way to encourage Non-Annex 1 countries to reduce GHG emissions (they have no obligation to do so).

The basic objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere to a target level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climate; in other words, to prevent global warming.

The Kyoto Protocol was first negotiated in Kyoto (hence the name), Japan on December 11, 1997, and opened up for signature on March 16, 1998, closing about a year later. On February 16, 2005, it entered into force. There are currently 169 participating countries and other entities—or parties—who have ratified the agreement. Two global powerhouses, the U.S. and Australia, have not ratified the agreement, even though they both signed the treaty.

China and India, who have each made their ratifications, are not under greenhouse gas emissions reduction obligations, even though they have large populations and produce relatively high amounts of carbon emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol covers more than 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); the 55 percent acting as part of a clause before the agreement could enter into full force reached after Russia ratified this amendment to the treaty on climate change on November 18, 2004. The other part of the “full-force” clause was having a minimum of 55 parties involved, which was reached through Iceland’s ratification on May 23, 2002.

This amendment to the treaty on climate change has received both support and opposition.

Advocates maintain that reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of methods, including carbon neutral, is vitally important in protecting our atmosphere and in preventing global warming. The European Union and several major environmentalist organisations have been most active in promoting the agreement. Reports have also been issued on behalf of the UN and other groups as to the benefits of the Kyoto Protocol. December 3, 2005 was named an “international day of action” for the Protocol, and a petition to support the treaty on climate change amendment launched on January 3, 2006 to reach 50 million signatures by Kyoto Protocol’s official start in January 2008.

The two biggest opponents of the Kyoto Protocol are the two countries who have refused to ratify the agreement, even though they both signed the treaty on climate change amendment: the United States and Australia.

Some of the more popular reasons for opposition from these two countries as well as other nations and individual organisations include: a scepticism regarding global warming, that the Protocol is merely a scheme to transfer wealth to developing countries and slow the growth of global industry, that the costs outweigh the benefits, and that the agreement is not nearly enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There is also some notable controversy with respect to using 1990 as a “base year” with which to measure an increase or decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that opposition is not unanimous, and some have changed their minds about the treaty once the Protocol included emissions trading between Annex 1 and Non-Annex 1 countries.

Data on man-made carbon dioxide emissions by country was collected by the UN in 2002. The U.S. made up the largest percentage of total emissions, at 24.3%, totalling 5,872,278 thousands of metric tons of annual carbon emissions. The EU came in next, at 15.3% and 3,682,755 thousands of metric tons (TMT). China was third, totalling 14.5% and 3,300,371 TMT. Next on the UN’s reported table were Russia (5.9%, 1,432,513 TMT), India (5.1%, 1,220,926 TMT), Japan (5%, 1,203,535 TMT), and Germany, at 3.3% and 804,701 TMT. The United Kingdom came in eighth, with a 2.3 percentage and 544,813 TMT, followed by Canada (2.1%, 517,157 TMT), South Korea (1.8% and 446,190 TMT) and Italy (1.8% and 433,018 TMT).

Here is a table of some of the GHG results to date reported by the UN and displayed by Wikipedia, reporting a positive or negative change in greenhouse gas emissions from the period 1990 to 2004 in 10 major participating countries.