Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty that aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was created to help fight global warming, which scientists believe is caused by human activities, especially burning fuels that release CO₂ emissions. The agreement was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997, and began officially on February 16, 2005.

The treaty focused on cutting down seven main gases that warm the planet, including carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄). It recognized that some countries, especially those that developed earlier, had played a bigger role in creating these gases and so had a bigger responsibility to reduce them.

The Kyoto Protocol had two main time periods for countries to meet their goals. The first period ran from 2008 to 2012, and most countries met their targets. A second period started in 2012 and lasted until 2020, with fewer countries agreeing to new goals. Eventually, efforts like the Kyoto Protocol helped lead to the creation of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which continues to work on reducing greenhouse gases worldwide.

Chronology

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

In 1992, a big meeting happened in Rio de Janeiro where countries made an agreement called the Framework Convention on Climate Change to help protect the Earth.

Then, in 1995, countries met in Berlin to talk about specific goals for reducing harmful gases in the air.

By 1997, they finished making the Kyoto Protocol in Kyoto, Japan, where they agreed on general goals to lower these gases.

In 2004, when Russia and Canada joined, the Kyoto Protocol officially started on February 16, 2005.

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

The 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 just for the Kyoto Protocol happened in 2005 along with COP 11.

Objectives

Kyoto aimed to cut down global emissions of greenhouse gases.

The main goal of the Kyoto Protocol was to control emissions of the main human-emitted greenhouse gases in ways that match national differences in emissions, wealth, and ability to reduce. The treaty followed the main ideas agreed in the 1992 UN Framework Convention.

The first round of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol was a detailed step within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It set a schedule starting in 2006 for talks to create 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 binding agreements for certain countries to lower greenhouse gas emissions. These countries had to create plans to reduce these gases and could use special methods to earn credits for emitting more.

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 and a committee to make sure everyone obeyed the rules.

Flexibility mechanisms

The Protocol allowed certain 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 economic idea behind this is that it costs different amounts for different countries to lower emissions, so trading can make meeting goals cheaper overall.

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. Only projects that do not use nuclear energy can earn these credits.

Each country with binding targets had to report its greenhouse gas emissions every year. They also had to appoint someone to manage these reports. Many other countries also set up systems to handle their duties under the Protocol, especially regarding the Clean Development Mechanism.

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 the process of officially joining began later. 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 it did not include some big countries and could hurt the country’s economy. 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

The group of countries that agreed to work together to reduce a certain amount of gases that affect the climate, called greenhouse gases, saw a small drop in these gases from 1990 to 2008. This drop happened for a few reasons. One big reason was that some countries changed their economies, which led to less use of fuels that create these gases.

These countries also tried to use energy more wisely and create energy from sources that don’t pollute as much. 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 by a small amount 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 a day after a big meeting about climate change.

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 thoughts about the Kyoto Protocol. Some believe it was a good start but not strong enough to solve climate change. Others think it only affected a small part of the world's pollution. The countries that agreed to the Protocol tried to cut down on gases that warm the Earth, but it was hard to make big changes.

Compliance

Some countries agreed to cut down on these gases, but not all followed through. Most did what they promised, but a few needed help from other countries to meet their goals. Overall, the countries that tried hard to follow the rules cut their pollution a lot more than they needed to.

Emission trends in developing countries

In some fast-growing countries, pollution went up very quickly. Even though these countries didn't have to cut pollution as much, some started trying to find 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 help communities in poorer countries.

Amendment and successor

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

Leaders from many countries agreed in 2007 to plan a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol. They wanted a system that would help both rich and poor countries reduce gases that warm the planet.

Later meetings tried to create this new agreement. In 2010, many countries promised to control their emissions. However, some nations like the United States and Japan decided not to join a new version of the Kyoto Protocol. In 2012, the Protocol was extended until 2020, and plans were made to develop a new agreement by 2015. This led to the Paris Agreement in 2015, which would replace the Kyoto Protocol.