What is the Kyoto Protocol in summary?

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement between countries, worldwide, to limit

emissions of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are a major cause of global warming.

And global warming affects everything. Colder climates in some parts. Hotter, drier climates
in others. Rising sea levels, water shortages, loss of bio diversity, and so on. The Kyoto
Protocol is an effort to curb these, and other, effects.

Of course I cannot tell you more than this in a Kyoto Protocol Summary only.

What greenhouse gases does the Kyoto Prootcol aim to limit?

 Carbon dioxide (CO2)

 Methane (CH4)

 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

 Perfluorocarbons (PFCs, and

 Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

Which countries have signed up for the Kyoto Protocol?

At 18th April, 2006, 168 countries have signed the Kyoto Treaty At 3rd December, 2007, 175
countries have signed the Kyoto Treaty.

When was the Kyoto Protocol first open for signature?

The Kyoto Protocol was first open for signature to countries willing to participate, on 11th
December, 1997, in Kyoto, Japan.

Of course negotiations began long before that date but this is all that needs to be said in the
Kyoto Protocol Summary I think.

When did the Kyoto Protocol come into force?

It came into force on 16th February, 2005.

What are the Kyoto Protocol conditions for it to come into force?

In summary, the Kyoto Protocol knows three categories.

 Annex I countries – industrialised countries

 Annex II countries – developed countries

 Developing countries

The Kyoto Protocol requires 55 industrialised countries to reduce their greenhouse gas
emissions to target levels 5.2% below that of 1990. If unable to, they must buy emission
credits from countries that are under these levels.

Further, it provides that developed countries pay for costs of developing countries.

Developing countries have no requirements under the Protocol. They may sell emission
credits and receive funds and technology from Annex II countries for climate-related studies
and projects. Many Annex I and Annex II countries overlap.
Are the Kyoto Protocol targets across the board?

No. Some targets for some countries are higher than for others, depending on their emission
status. For instance, the emission cut target for the European Union is set at 8% and 7% for
the USA. Australia and Iceland are permitted to increase their emission by respectively 8%
and 10%. Russia has a 0% target, due to its declined industrial output since the collapse of
the USSR.

Have all countries signed the Kyoto Protocol?

No. Notable exceptions remains the USA as a major emitter of greenhouse gases. Australia
signed the Treaty on the 3rd December 2007, hours after the swearing in of the new Rudd
Labor government, as its first governing act.

Is the Kyoto Protocol a success?

Well, not having the USA ratify the Kyoto Protocol is a big problem as the USA also roughly
contributes a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gases.

A number of countries have not so far met the Kyoto Protocol emission targets.

Even if it did, current projections call for the need of much bigger cuts in emissions than the
Kyoto Protocol requires.

The United Nations now predict a rise of 10% in greenhouse emissions since 1990.

Is there hope that the Kyoto Protocol can do something about global warming?

The Kyoto Protocol is a unique international initiative that recognises the dire environmental
straits that we are in. Its processes seem painfully slow and its results small against daily
reports of serious global warming effects.

However its symbolic value may be its greatest asset. Any effort is better than none and if
governments are slow, people everywhere are doing what they can do. Recycling, green
power, wearing a jumper rather than turning up the heater, and so on. Some local
governments are not waiting for their national governments to come to the party and
introduce their own individual carbon trading schemes or offer incentives for solar heating.

Draw up your own list of what you can do.

But, remember, no amount of recycling, or technological wizardry alone can deliver a

sustainable world. Getting on with each other can. Living well within the inevitable limits,
dependency and fragility that are part of life, is a sustainable life.