KYOTO PROTOCOL

What is Kyoto Protocol? The Kyoto Protocol is an accord between nations designed to combat global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC or FCCC).

History It is the result of a 1997 meeting in Kyoto, Japan of participating nations in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), resulted in the Kyoto Protocol.

Purpose To initiate efforts to slow global warming and deal with any unavoidable increases in temperature. Seeks to stabilize atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases “ at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [human-induced] interference with the climate system”.

General Commitment All Parties to develop “national communications” containing inventories of GHG emissions by source and GHG removals by sinks.

Commitments of Parties Annex 1 Country Parties Developed countries and countries whose economies are in transition. Adopt policies and measures to limit their anthropogenic emissions of GHGs and protect/enhance their GHG sinks and reservoirs to demonstrate that they are taking the lead in modifying longer-term trends.

Contd.. Annex II Country Parties Under Article 4.2 of the UNFCCC, developed country parties included in Annex II (Annex 1 countries minus the economies in transition) have the following additional commitments Provide new and additional financial resources to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with their obligations under Article 12.

Provide financial resources, including transfer of technology to meet the agreed full incremental costs of measures to be undertaken by developing country Parties under Article 4. Promote, as appropriate, the transfer of, or, facilitate and finance access to, environmentally sound technologies and know-how to other Parties, particularly the developing ones to enable them to implement the provisions of tthe Convention. he

Institutional Bodies Conference of Parties (CoP) supreme decision-making body of the Convention. primary task is to promote and review the implementation of the Convention and any related legal instruments (such as the Kyoto Protocol, etc.) has convened six meetings since the Convention’s entry into force on March 21, 2004 1st Session of the COP was held in Berlin in 1995 which agreed on the “Berlin Mandate” calling for the strengthening of Annex 1 commitments through the adoption of a protocol or another legally binding instrument.

Subsidiary Bodies Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advise (SBSTA) - provides the CoP with information and advice on scientific and technological concerns. Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) - assists the CoP in the assessment and review of the implementation of the Convention.

Significant Provisions of the Kyoto Protocol Annex 1 Country Parties, individually or jointly, ensure that their aggregate anthropogenic CO2 equivalent emissions of GHG do not exceed their assigned amounts. Reduction of their overall emissions by at least 5% below 1990 levels in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. The Protocol commits Annex B countries that ratify the Protocol to reduce GHG emissions below 1990 levels by the first commitment period (2008-2012)

The Protocol will be legally binding when it enters into force The Protocol will be legally binding when it enters into force. It must be signed and ratified by at least 55 countries, whose total emissions represent 55% of the emissions of the Annex I countries in 1990. Incorporation by Annex 1 Parties in its annual inventory of anthropogenic emissions the sources and removals by sinks of GHG gases. Expert review process, providing a thorough and comprehensive technical assessment of the implementation of this protocol. No introduction of new commitments for Parties not included in Annex 1.

THE KYOTO PROTOCOL FLEXIBILITY MECHANISMS EMISSIONS TRADING JOINT IMPLEMENTATION CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM

Emissions Trading (ET) Article 17 Permits countries to transfer parts of their “allowed emissions” (assigned amount units). Joint Implementation (JI) Article 6 Allows countries to claim credit for emission reductions that arise from investment in other industrialized countries, which result in a transfer of equivalent “emission reduction units” between the countries.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Article 12 KP Allows emission reduction projects that assist in creating sustainable development in developing countries to generate “certified emission reductions” (CERs) for use by the investor.

Greenhouse Gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol Carbon dioxide (CO2) Methane (CH4) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) Perflourocarbons (PFCs) Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

Advantages Kyoto Protocol is its broad participation Kyoto Protocol is its ambitious set of goals. Legally binding status.

Disadvantages its handling of economic inequalities around the world.

Overview map Of States obligated by the Kyoto Protocol as of 2010 Overview map Of States obligated by the Kyoto Protocol as of 2010. Green countries = Those of the Annex I countries who are fully obligated (also called Annex II countries). Yellow countries = Annex I countries who only are obligated within some freedom as to their requirements in the protocol. Also called Countries with Economics in Transition (EIT)). Red countries = are not obligated by the Kyoto Protocol. Are either countries who have Non-annex 1 status in the protocol, and thereby are not obligated or countries that have not signed the protocol yet[1]

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