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.
• The essential tenet of the Kyoto Protocol was
that industrialized nations needed to lessen
the amount of their CO2 emissions.
• The protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan in
1997, when greenhouse gases were rapidly
threatening our climate, life on the earth, and
the planet, itself. Today, the Kyoto Protocol
lives on in other forms and its issues are still
being discussed
• The major greenhouse gases that are
addressed are :
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous oxide (N2O)
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
• In December 2012, after the first commitment
period of the Protocol ended, participating countries
in the Kyoto Protocol met in Doha, Qatar to adopt an
amendment to the original Kyoto agreement.
• This was called the Doha Amendment which added
new emission-reduction targets for the second
commitment period, 2012–2020, for these
countries.
• In 2015, at the sustainable development summit
held in Paris, all UNFCCC participants signed yet
another pact, the Paris Climate Agreement, which
effectively replaced the Kyoto Protocol.
 Kyoto Protocol – Salient Features
• The UNFCCC was an international agreement held in 1992 in which
member countries agreed to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations in the
earth’s atmosphere in order to prevent devastating climate change. This
was, however, not binding on the members, and no specific targets were
set.
• By 1995, the countries, understanding the need for a stricter demand on
greenhouse reduction, began negotiating on a protocol that was based on
the UNFCCC but would be a standing agreement in its own.
• The Kyoto Protocol extends the UNFCCC and makes members commit to a
specific reduction target. The text of the protocol was unanimously
adopted 11 December 1997. It entered into force in February 2005.
Currently, there are 192 parties to the protocol.
• The protocol gives specific target cuts in the emission levels of greenhouse
gases of member countries and makes it binding. However, only
developed countries have binding targets based on the (accurate) premise
that they have had a historically larger share in the emission of pollutants
due to the antecedence of industrialisation in those countries compared
to developing economies. This is based on common but differentiated
responsibility.
• These targets are between -8% and +10% of the countries’ 1990
emission levels.
• In order to make the ‘binding targets’ more acceptable, the protocol
provides flexibility in how countries meet the targets. Countries are
allowed to partially compensate for the emissions by increasing
what are called ‘sinks’, i.e., forests. This is because forests reduce
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• Most nations have ratified the treaty. The USA is a notable
exception to this. It takes the stand that having binding targets only
for developed countries and not polluting countries like China and
India is potentially harmful for its own economy. Canada withdrew
from the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.
• The targets are for the following greenhouse gases/gas groups:
carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, sulphur hexafluoride,
hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons.
• The first commitment period for the agreement was from 2008 to
2012.
• Apart from national measures, the agreement has three
mechanisms that are means to achieve the Kyoto targets:
– International Emissions Trading
– Clean Development Mechanism
– Joint Implementation
• India is a non-Annex I country. India is exempt from the
treaty’s framework. The Indian government ratified the treaty
in August 2002. Since the per capita emission rates are much
smaller for developing countries compared to the developed
countries, India takes the stand that the major responsibility
of reducing emissions lies with the latter.
 Kyoto Protocol – Monitoring Emission

The emission monitoring process has to be carried out by various

countries and a proper track record has to be maintained.
The emission monitoring is managed by the following process:
• Registry systems – These are meant to track the transactions carried
out by the parties as per the Kyoto mechanisms.
• Reporting- This is an important part of the process as the respective
parties have to submit their information related to annual emission
inventories as per the guidelines in the protocol.
• Compliance system – This ensures that the commitments are met
by the parties and in case of issue relating to this.
• Adaptation- This part of the process facilitates the development and
deployment of technologies that can help increase resilience to the
impacts of climate change. There is an adaptation fund to provide
financial assistance to parties which take up adaptation projects
and programmes
• Kyoto Protocol is based on the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities, keeping in mind the socio-
economic development of the concerned countries and the
polluter pays principle. It is one of the important
international environment protocols.
• The protocol’s first commitment period started in 2008 and
ended in 2012. 36 countries had participated in the first
commitment period. 9 countries opted for flexibility
mechanisms since their national emissions were greater than
their targets. Hence these countries funded emissions
reductions in other countries.
• Although the 36 developed countries had reduced their
emissions, global emissions increased by 32 % from 1990 to
2010. The financial crisis of 2007-08 was one of the major
contributors to the reduction in emissions.
 Key Facts about the Kyoto Protocol
When and where was it adopted?
• It was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on 11 December 1997.
When did Kyoto Protocol come into force?
• Kyoto Protocol came into force on 16 February 2005.
How many countries are signatories of the Kyoto Protocol?
• 84 countries are signatories of the Kyoto Protocol.
How many countries are parties of the Kyoto Protocol?
• 192 countries are parties of the Kyoto Protocol.
Which are the countries that are not parties of the Kyoto
Protocol?
• Canada
• Andorra
• The United States of America
• South Sudan
 Details of the Kyoto Protocol
• It is legally binding
• Only members of UNFCCC can become parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
• Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the 3rd session of UNFCCC
• To meet the targets of the Kyoto Protocol, member countries cannot include
international shipping and international aviation
• Countries can use Land Use (LU), land-use change (LUC), and Forestry to
meet their Kyoto targets.
What is the Conference of Parties (COP)?
• The Official meeting of all countries associated with the Kyoto Protocol is
called the Conference of Parties (COP).
India at the Kyoto Protocol
• India was exempted from legally binding commitments on greenhouse
gas emissions.
• India emphasized on the differentiation between developed and developing
nations concerning the burden of responsibility for climate action.
• India successfully defended its obligation on socio-economic development
while concurrently forcing developed countries of the Annex I category to
take more responsibilities on curtailing greenhouse gas emissions
What is the Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol?
• After the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ended, an
amendment i.e. changes was carried out to the Kyoto Protocol. This
amendment talks about emission reduction targets for the second
commitment period. The 2nd commitment period ranges from 2012-2020.
 India and the Doha Amendment

• India has ratified the second commitment

period of the Kyoto Protocol i.e. meet the
emission targets for the time period 2012-
2020.
• India was the 80th country to accept the
amendment.
The Doha Amendment Extended Kyoto Protocol to 2020

• In December 2012, after the first commitment period of

the Protocol ended, parties to the Kyoto Protocol met in
Doha, Qatar, to adopt an amendment to the original Kyoto
agreement.
• This so-called Doha Amendment added new emission-
reduction targets for the second commitment period,
2012–2020, for participating countries.
• The Doha Amendment had a short life. In 2015, at the
sustainable development summit held in Paris, all UNFCCC
participants signed yet another pact, the Paris Climate
Agreement, which effectively replaced the Kyoto Protocol.
 The Paris Climate Agreement

• The Paris Climate Agreement is a landmark environmental pact that

was adopted by nearly every nation in 2015 to address climate
change and its negative effects. The agreement includes
commitments from all major GHG-emitting countries to cut their
climate-altering pollution and to strengthen those commitments over
time.
• A major directive of the deal calls for reducing global GHG emissions
so as to limit the earth's temperature increase in this century to 2
degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels while taking steps to limit
the increase to 1.5 degrees. The Paris Agreement also provides a way
for developed nations to assist developing nations in their efforts to
adapt climate control and it creates a framework for monitoring and
reporting countries’ climate goals
 The Kyoto Protocol Today?

• In 2016, when the Paris Climate Agreement

went into force, the United States was one of
the principal drivers of the agreement, and
President Obama hailed it as “a tribute to
American leadership.”4 As a candidate for
president at that time, Donald Trump criticized
the agreement as a bad deal for the American
people and pledged to withdraw the United
States if elected.