Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty to help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It was made to fight global warming, which many scientists think comes from human actions, like burning fuels that give off CO₂ emissions. The agreement was made in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997, and started on February 16, 2005.

The treaty worked on lowering seven main gases that warm Earth, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄). It said that some countries, especially older ones, had made more of these gases and so should do more to cut them down.

The Kyoto Protocol had two main times for countries to reach their goals. The first time was from 2008 to 2012, and most countries did well. A second time began in 2012 and went until 2020, with fewer countries taking new goals. Over time, work from the Kyoto Protocol helped start the 2015 Paris Agreement, which keeps working to lower greenhouse gases around the world.

Chronology

See also: History of climate change policy and politics and United Nations Climate Change Conference

In 1992, countries met in Rio de Janeiro and made an agreement to help protect the Earth.

In 1995, they met in Berlin to talk about goals for cleaning the air.

In 1997, they finished the Kyoto Protocol in Kyoto, Japan, with goals to lower harmful gases.

In 2004, the Kyoto Protocol officially started after Russia and Canada joined.

In 2011, Canada decided to leave the Kyoto Protocol, and in 2012, the first set of goals ended.

Countries meet every year at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to talk about climate change. The first meeting was in 1995 in Berlin (COP 1). The first special meeting for the Kyoto Protocol was in 2005 along with COP 11.

Objectives

Kyoto wanted to lower global emissions of greenhouse gases.

The main goal of the Kyoto Protocol was to reduce emissions of the main human-made greenhouse gases. The treaty used ideas from the 1992 UN Framework Convention.

The first round of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol was part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It set a schedule starting in 2006 to create new emission reduction goals for a second period. The first period's goals ended on December 31, 2012.

Principal concepts

The Kyoto Protocol had several main ideas. First, it set agreements for some countries to lower greenhouse gas emissions. These countries had to create plans to reduce these gases.

The Protocol also tried to help developing countries by creating a fund for climate change adaptation. It included rules for checking that countries followed the agreements.

Flexibility mechanisms

The Protocol allowed some countries three ways to meet their emission goals. These were trading emissions, a Clean Development Mechanism, and Joint Implementation. Trading lets countries buy and sell permits to emit greenhouse gases.

The Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation work by creating emission cuts from projects. The Clean Development Mechanism encourages projects in countries without binding targets, while Joint Implementation does this in countries with targets. Both produce credits that countries can use to meet their own goals.

Details of the agreement

The Kyoto Protocol is a global agreement to help fight climate change. It is a set of rules that built on an earlier agreement called the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Only countries that agreed to the UNFCCC could join the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol was created in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. It set targets for reducing greenhouse gases, which are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause the Earth to warm up. The main gases targeted were carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and others. Countries that agreed to the protocol had to meet these targets.

Some countries, mostly wealthier ones, had specific targets to reduce their emissions. Others, usually developing countries, did not have to meet these targets at first but could join later. The protocol also allowed countries to use certain activities, like managing forests, to help meet their targets because trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air.

Ratification process

The Kyoto Protocol was agreed upon in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997. Countries could sign it starting March 16, 1998. Many countries signed and then began to officially join. To make the agreement work, at least 55 countries needed to join, including some big ones that produce a lot of carbon dioxide.

In May 2002, the European Union and its member countries joined. By November 2004, when Russia joined, the agreement had enough support to officially start on February 16, 2005. By May 2013, most countries had joined, but Canada decided to leave. The United States signed but never officially joined because their government did not agree to it.

Countries that ratified the Protocol

Non-ratification by the US

The United States signed the agreement in 1998, but their Senate did not agree to it. Even though the president at the time signed it, they never sent it to the Senate for final approval. The next president said the agreement was unfair. Because of this, the United States never officially joined.

Withdrawal of Canada

In 2011, Canada said they would leave the agreement. They officially left on December 15, 2012. Canada had promised to lower their carbon dioxide, but they were not able to do so. Their government decided to leave to avoid paying money under the agreement.

Other states and territories where the treaty was not applicable

Some places like Andorra, the United States, and Canada did not join the agreement. Also, some smaller areas under the Netherlands did not join either.

Country types and their emissions

See also: List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions per capita, List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions, and GHG Protocol Corporate Standard

Annex I countries

These countries agreed to work together to reduce gases that affect the climate, called greenhouse gases. From 1990 to 2008, these gases went down a little. This happened for a few reasons. One big reason was that some countries changed how they use energy, which led to less use of fuels that create these gases.

These countries also tried to use energy more wisely and create energy from cleaner sources. Even when the world’s economy had a hard time in 2007–2008, it helped these countries use less energy.

Annex I parties with targets

Together, these countries aimed to lower their greenhouse gases a little from 2008 to 2012 compared to 1990. The big drop in some countries’ emissions helped all of them reach this goal.

In December 2011, Canada said it would stop following these rules.

Annex I parties without Kyoto targets

Some countries, like Belarus, Malta, and Turkey, agreed to the rules but didn’t have to lower their gases right away. The United States was supposed to lower its gases, but it didn’t agree to follow the rules.

Non-Annex I

Many countries that weren’t part of the main group are working to develop their economies and improve education and health care. Some of these countries worry that lowering greenhouse gases might hurt their economies because they rely on fuels for income.

These countries reported their greenhouse gases, and most came from burning fuels and farming. The amount each person in these countries creates is much smaller than in other places. For example, in Africa, each person creates about 2.4 tonnes of these gases each year, while in parts of Asia and the Pacific, it’s about 2.6 tonnes.

Problem areas

Views and criticism of the Protocol

Main articles: Views on the Kyoto Protocol and Criticism of the Kyoto Protocol

Many people have different ideas about the Kyoto Protocol. Some think it was a good start but not strong enough to stop climate change. Others feel it only changed a small part of the world's pollution. The countries that agreed to the Protocol wanted to cut down on gases that warm the Earth, but making big changes was difficult.

Compliance

Some countries agreed to cut down on these gases, but not all did what they promised. Most kept their word, but a few needed help from other countries to reach their goals. In general, the countries that worked hard to follow the rules reduced their pollution much more than they needed to.

Emission trends in developing countries

In some countries that were growing fast, pollution went up very quickly. Even though these countries did not have to cut pollution as much, some began looking for ways to use cleaner energy.

Views on the flexibility mechanisms

Further information: Flexible Mechanisms § Views on the flexibility mechanisms, and carbon emission trading

The Kyoto Protocol had special rules to help countries meet their goals, like trading pollution permits. Some people liked this because it could save money, while others worried it didn’t always help create cleaner energy or support communities in poorer countries.

Amendment and successor

Main article: Post–Kyoto Protocol negotiations on greenhouse gas emissions

In 2007, leaders from many countries agreed to create a new plan to replace the Kyoto Protocol. They wanted a system to help all countries, both rich and poor, reduce gases that warm the Earth.

More meetings happened to make this new plan. In 2010, many countries promised to control their emissions. But some nations, like the United States and Japan, chose not to join a new version of the Kyoto Protocol. In 2012, the Protocol was extended until 2020. Plans were made to create a new agreement by 2015. This led to the Paris Agreement in 2015, which would replace the Kyoto Protocol.