Source: http://www.rtcc.org/2011/11/15/kyoto-does-the-global-pact-have-a-future/
Welcome back to our blog! International actors have made efforts to slow down and rectify air pollution and its subsequent climate change. We will be focusing on the Kyoto Protocol in this post. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997. Owing to a complex ratification process, it entered into force on 16 February 2005. Currently, there are 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that aimed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the presence of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere by 5.2% below the 1950 level by 2012. Recognizing that developed countries are responsible for the current high levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere due to past industrial activity, the Kyoto Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities.” Its commitment period, unfortunately, ended in 2012 (Fayan, 2015).
Effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol :
Source:http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2012/nov/26/kyoto-protocol-carbon-emissions
The sum of emissions from nations with Kyoto targets have fallen significantly. Another major accomplishment is of course bringing awareness to the fact that we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The Protocol itself was a great starting point.
However, the Kyoto Protocol is not all that successful. The Kyoto Protocol provided for an emissions credit that could be swapped or sold to other nations which could more efficiently use the ability to emit greenhouse gas. Each nation is given an amount of emissions. Should they have excess, they are able to sell or trade these credits (e.g. a country that is a relatively low emitter would have extra ‘allowable emissions’ thus are able to sell/trade sell their allotment to other nations who require more emissions). Thus nations such as the United States, Japan, China, and Russia could emit more while nations that produced less are able to operate below their allotment level. The Kyoto Protocol thus does not solve the root problem of excessive greenhouse gas emissions which is harmful consumption habits of the developed nations, but rather encourages it (Clark, 2012).
After Kyoto: Copenhagen climate change conference (COP15)
From Dec 7 to Dec 18, 2009, more than 40,000 representatives of governments, non-governmental organizations, and media from 193 countries descended upon Copenhagen Denmark for a historic climate conference. The 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) attempted to hammer out a comprehensive, fair, and ambitious treaty to replace the GHG emissions reduction mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. Negotiations have continued with an objective of reaching a binding agreement by 2015 (UNFCCC, 2009):
- COP16 – December 2010 in Mexico City
- COP17 – December 2011 in Durban, South Africa
- COP18 – December 2012 in Doha, Qatar
- COP19 – December 2013 in Warsaw, Poland
- COP20 – December 2014 in Lima, Peru
Thank you and we hope to see you again next week!
Source:
- Clark, D. (2012) “Has the Kyoto protocol made any difference to carbon emissions?” Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2012/nov/26/kyoto-protocol-carbon-emissions
- Fayan, P (2015) “Is the negotiation process smart enough to bring forth an agreement?” Retrieved from: https://studentclimates.wordpress.com/tag/kyoto-protoc
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2009) “Fact sheet: Copenhagen: why is a deal so important?” Retrieved from: http://unfccc.int/files/press/application/pdf/fact_sheet_copenhagen_deal.pdf
