CLIMATE POLICIES
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What is the Kyoto Protocol?
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A global Agreement that set targets for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions
175 countries signed up
The summit was held in Kyoto, Japan in
1997
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Participation in the Kyoto Protocol, as of June 2009,
where dark green indicates the countries that have
ratified (signed to make it official) the treaty, grey is
not yet decided and red is no intention to ratify
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Problems with signing up
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Some delayed in signing up to Kyoto such as
Russia who signed in 2004
USA initially signed but then withdrew in
2001 following GW Bush’s election (USA
emit 25% of world emissions!!!)
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Kyoto Protocol Aims:
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Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), aimed at combating global
warming.
The aim of the treaty was "stabilization of
greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere at a level that would prevent
dangerous human interference with the climate
system."
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Under the Protocol, 37 industrialized
countries /HICs (called "Annex I countries")
commit themselves to a reduction of four
greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane,
nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride).
Annex I countries agreed to reduce their
collective greenhouse gas emissions by about
5% from their 1990 level.
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Kyoto Protocol Aims:
Share of CO2 Emissions
in 1990
1.
2.
3.
Industrialised
countries to cut
emissions to 5%
below 1990 levels by
2012
Targets for EU of
8% and Japan 5%
reductions
Some countries like
Iceland and Australia
were allowed to
increase emissions8
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There were a number of ‘Articles’ that
set out to achieve the aims...
a.
b.
ARTICLE 2
Enhance energy efficiency
Protect and enhance the carbon sinks (e.g.
trees)
A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon that
it releases whilst a carbon source is anything that
releases more carbon than they absorb.
c.
d.
Promote sustainable agriculture – by promoting
farming methods that produce less GHG,
especially in developing countries
Research and promote renewable/sustainable
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energy sources
Article 12
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
This is another 'mechanism' designed to help rich (Annex 1) countries meet their
Kyoto commitments.
What is the CDM?
The clean development mechanism allows governments or private organisations
in rich countries to set up emission reduction projects in developing countries.
The rich countries get what are called “carbon credits” for these reductions. This
system promotes sustainable development on developing countries.
Carbon credit = one credit
is equal to 1 tonne of CO2
(or CO2 equivalent)
removed from the
atmosphere from an
emission reduction project
Methods:
CDM can include:
- Afforestation (planting trees somewhere new)
- Reforestation (replanting where there once was trees)
- Some other emissions reduction project like a installing solar panels in rural areas
in a developing country
What would countries earn from CDMs:
 Countries would earn “Carbon Credits” from these project which would be use 11
to
offset (reach) their emission reduction targets
Article 17
International Emissions Trading
Emissions trading = this system allows countries that have emission units to
spare - emissions permitted to them but not "used" - to sell this excess capacity to
countries that are over their targets (therefore, trade emissions with other
countries)
 Since carbon dioxide is the principal greenhouse gas, people speak simply of
trading in carbon. Carbon is now traded between countries and industries like any
other commodity. This is known as the "carbon market.“
Pros and Cons:
The advantages of this trading are that it drives countries to better efficiency in
their own greenhouse gas emissions.
But there is a worry that some rich countries will simply 'buy off' the GHGs that
they already produce and not take any action themselves to reduce their
emissions.
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Kyoto: a success or failure?
 It seems that Kyoto has NOT been a huge success
 Many countries have actually increased their
emissions, e.g. Japan!
 However, some countries have managed to reduce
their emissions – an important example is Sweden
which has reduced its emissions by 10%!
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Successes?
Go to
http://www.thegu
ardian.com/enviro
nment/blog/2012
/nov/26/kyotoprotocol-carbonemissions
for more detailed
info!
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What followed Kyoto?
Two new summits took place:
a. Copenhagen, Denmark 2009 - no agreement was
reached
 Mostly because LICs do not want to cut emissions as they
feel it will prevent their further development
b. Doha, Qatar 2012 – An amendment (revision) of
the Kyoto protocol was signed by the Annex I countries
which:
- Commited to continue in an effort to reduce emissions
with a new deadline of 2020
Will it work this time? WE SHALL WAIT AND SEE! 16
Paris Agreement
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The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international
treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196
Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and
entered into force on 4 November 2016.
Its goal is to limit global warming to well below
2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to preindustrial levels.
To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries
aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas
emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate
neutral world by mid-century.
The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral
climate change process because, for the first time, a
binding agreement brings all nations into a common
cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate
change and adapt to its effects.
https://unfccc.int/process-and-
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International Cooperation on Climate
Change
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Why is it so hard to achieve international agreements/cooperation
to reduce GHGs?
LICs and MICs don’t want to agree to any commitments because they
feel it will limit their development – they also argue that HICs should
be the ones reducing emissions since they are the ones producing the
most GHGs
In many LICs (esp. African countries), there are other priorities, e.g.
fighting poverty and hunger more important than global warming
Many people do not want to change their lifestyles for the sake of
climate
Different countries/governments have different interests and
perspectives on climate change , and may not believe in it
Some HICs (e.g. USA) are influenced by oil TNCs who do not want
people reducing their fossil fuel use
Sceptics in certain countries argue that climate change is not
anthropogenic (anthropogenic = caused by humans)
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