Summer Banks
SaraJThe Kyoto Protocol
February 23rd 2007 01:06
In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (also called the Earth Summit) was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The Earth Summit was a big deal! 5 conventions came out of the Summit including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – which is a treaty recording a non-binding commitment by the countries present to combat Climate Change through the reduction of Greenhouse Gases (GHG’s).
The treaty does not contain any limits or sanctions, but did contain the ability to create subsequent protocols containing limits. There have been numerous Conferences since the Earth Summit, the most well known of these being COP-3 (COP being the Conference of Parties) in Kyoto, as it gave us [drum roll please] the Kyoto Protocol.
The Kyoto Protocol amends the UNFCCC by creating limits on the emissions of GHG’s. It was ratified, and came into force on 16 February 2005 when Russia ratified it. 168 countries and the European Community are members to it.
Countries are split into Annex I(developed) and Non-Annex I countries (developing). The Non-Annex I countries are not bound to reduce their GHG emissions.
The Protocol commits Annex I countries to a reduction in GHG’s of 5% below 1990 levels in the first commitment period. The first commitment period runs from 2008 and 2012. 35 countries are the European Community have signed up to restrict their GHG emissions.
The difficulty with international law is always enforcement – it’s hard to put in place sanctions which countries respond to. It’s not as if you can jail them for non-compliance. So often, sanctions are political. The Kyoto Protocol does contain sanctions for not meeting the commitment targets: a further reduction in emissions for the following commitment period. I think the most interesting thing it does is create incentives! Carrots as opposed to sticks.
The Protocol contains 3 such mechanisms:
1. The Clean Development Mechanism
2. Joint Implementation
3. Emissions Trading.
This is all heavy stuff though - and I dont want your eyes glazing over, so I will leave those for the next blog!
The treaty does not contain any limits or sanctions, but did contain the ability to create subsequent protocols containing limits. There have been numerous Conferences since the Earth Summit, the most well known of these being COP-3 (COP being the Conference of Parties) in Kyoto, as it gave us [drum roll please] the Kyoto Protocol.
The Kyoto Protocol amends the UNFCCC by creating limits on the emissions of GHG’s. It was ratified, and came into force on 16 February 2005 when Russia ratified it. 168 countries and the European Community are members to it.
Countries are split into Annex I(developed) and Non-Annex I countries (developing). The Non-Annex I countries are not bound to reduce their GHG emissions.
The Protocol commits Annex I countries to a reduction in GHG’s of 5% below 1990 levels in the first commitment period. The first commitment period runs from 2008 and 2012. 35 countries are the European Community have signed up to restrict their GHG emissions.
The difficulty with international law is always enforcement – it’s hard to put in place sanctions which countries respond to. It’s not as if you can jail them for non-compliance. So often, sanctions are political. The Kyoto Protocol does contain sanctions for not meeting the commitment targets: a further reduction in emissions for the following commitment period. I think the most interesting thing it does is create incentives! Carrots as opposed to sticks.
The Protocol contains 3 such mechanisms:
1. The Clean Development Mechanism
2. Joint Implementation
3. Emissions Trading.
This is all heavy stuff though - and I dont want your eyes glazing over, so I will leave those for the next blog!
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