Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is evidence of humanity’s first significant move toward a greener future in the face of climate change. Join us as we journey through this ground-breaking pact’s beginnings, landmarks, and legacy.

What Is the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol binds international agreements linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the protocol aims to limit carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt climate change. It was negotiated in the third Conference of Parties (COP3) to the UNFCCC in Kyoto, Japan. The convention encourages developing nations to voluntarily cut emissions while requiring wealthier countries to adhere to emission reduction targets.

The UNFCCC was created during the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit of 1992. The main objective of the UNFCCC was to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would shield the climate system from dangerous human influence. The first COP was held in Berlin in 1995, and it was decided that wealthier nations should take the initiative in cutting emissions. As a result, the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated and approved in 1997.

Understanding the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is related to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It calls on industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Following it, developed, industrialized nations agreed to cut their yearly hydrocarbon emissions by an average of 5.2% by 2012. This figure would equal nearly 29% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. 

Countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol were given carbon emission caps for particular periods and were allowed to trade carbon credits. Countries that exceeded their limits were penalized, and their allotted emissions limit was reduced in the next term.

By 2012, EU members agreed to cut emissions by 8%, while the United States and Canada agreed to cut emissions by 7% and 6%, respectively.

Duties of Developed and Developing Countries

The Kyoto Protocol acknowledged that the current high levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere, which are the product of more than 150 years of economic activity, are primarily attributable to industrialized countries. As a result, developed countries were subject to a greater burden under the agreement than less developed ones.

Thirty-seven developed countries, including the EU, were required by the Kyoto Protocol to reduce their GHG emissions. More than 100 developing nations, including China and India, were completely exempted from the Kyoto Agreement and invited to comply voluntarily.

Annex I Vs. Non-Annex I

The Kyoto Protocol divided nations into two categories. Annex I included wealthy countries, and Non-Annex I included developing nations. Only Annex I countries were subject to emission restrictions under the agreement. Non-Annex participating governments invested in initiatives to reduce emissions within their borders.

Through these initiatives, developing nations gained carbon credits to trade or sell to rich countries in exchange for a higher cap on their overall carbon emissions. However, this function encouraged industrialized nations to continue producing large amounts of GHG.

Additional Changes to the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was not final. The Doha Amendment and Paris Agreement happened much later. 

Doha Amendment: Kyoto Protocol Extends to 2020

The Kyoto Protocol parties gathered in Doha, Qatar, in December 2012 to accept a supplement to the original Kyoto Accord after the Protocol’s first commitment period had elapsed. New emission-reduction goals were introduced. However, this amendment only lasted a few years.

All UNFCCC parties signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 during the Paris Sustainable Development Summit, which replaced the Kyoto Protocol.

Paris Climate Agreement

Nearly all countries signed the historic Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. All significant GHG-emitting nations agreed to reduce their climate-altering pollution and to strengthen their commitments over time as part of the accord.

The Kyoto Protocol Today

The United States was one of the leading proponents of the Paris Climate Agreement. They entered into force in 2016, and President Obama praised it as “a tribute to American leadership”.

Donald Trump, who was running for president then, denounced the agreement as a horrible bargain for the American people and promised to remove the country if elected. After he became president, Trump declared in 2017 that the United States would leave the Paris Climate Agreement because it would harm the country’s economy.

On November 4, 2019, the former president formally started the withdrawal process. The United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement on November 4, 2020, following Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

President Biden started re-joining the Paris Climate Agreement on January 20, 2021, when he assumed office. The agreement went into effect on February 19, 2021. The Kyoto Protocol is no longer in effect, but numerous actions are still being made to ensure its long-term preservation. 

Timeline

On February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol came into effect after being adopted on December 11, 1997. Here are some significant dates in the Kyoto Protocol’s history.

December 11, 1997 

The Kyoto Protocol is related to an international agreement adopted at COP3 in Kyoto, Japan. They were representatives from 159 nations. The Kyoto Protocol establishes for developed nations legally binding emission reduction objectives.

March 16, 1998

The Kyoto Protocol was made available for signature on March 16, 1998, at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Nations signed the protocol and declared their intent to be bound by its rules.

November 14, 1998

The Buenos Aires Plan of Action, a two-year plan to lessen the risk of global climate change, is adopted by 170 governments due to a two-week summit.

March 15, 1999

The Kyoto Protocol had 84 signatures after being open to signatures for a year.

February 16, 2005

After being accepted by enough nations to represent at least 55% of the industrialized nations listed in Annex I of the protocol’s global greenhouse gas emissions, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force.

December 2005

The First Meeting of the Parties (MOP 1) in Montreal, Canada, hosted the inaugural Kyoto Protocol Parties Meeting. The Adaptation Fund was created by the parties to assist developing nations in tackling the effects of climate change, and the parties also debated the protocol’s implementation.

December 2007

The Bali Action Plan was adopted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia. The Action Plan paved the way for discussions on a post-2012 climate regime that would replace the Kyoto Protocol.

December 8, 2012 

The eighth Conference of the Parties (COP 18) session in Doha, Qatar, saw the adoption of the Doha Amendment. The Kyoto Protocol’s second commitment period (2013-2020) was formed, and emission reduction goals were established for that time frame.

March 25, 2013

Afghanistan signs the Kyoto Protocol as the 192nd nation. In August 2022, 192 signatories were still present.

December 12, 2015 

The Paris Agreement, which replaced the Kyoto Protocol, was approved during the COP 21 Conference of the Parties in Paris, France.

November 4, 2016

The pact enters into force. They seek to pursue efforts to keep the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to keep global warming to far below 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.

December 31, 2020

The Doha Amendment became effective after 147 nations accepted the new protocol. It was said to represent at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

FAQs

Regarding what the Kyoto Protocol is and what its goals are, more details are below.

What is the main purpose of the Kyoto Protocol?

This agreement called on developed countries to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to minimize the effects of climate change.

Which country has not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol?

The only nation that has yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol is the United States. The US signed the agreement in 1998, but the ratification procedure was never completed. The US government decided in 2001 that it would not ratify the Kyoto Protocol due to worries about how it may affect the US economy and that large emerging nations like China and India did not make emission reduction commitments.

How Many Countries Signed the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol was signed by 192 nations in total. By signing the treaty, parties declared their desire to abide by its terms and make efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions. On March 16, 1998, the agreement was signed at the UN headquarters in New York. Although 192 nations signed the protocol, not all of them went on to ratify it and join the pact.

When Did India Sign and Ratify Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol in Hindi was signed on August 26, 1998. India ratified the protocol on January 27, 2002. The Indian government ratified the convention after considering its national conditions and prospective effects on the nation’s economic growth. India’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol as a developing nation were concentrated on sustainable development and combating climate change in a way consistent with its development objectives.

Why Was the Kyoto Protocol Created?

The Kyoto Protocol was created to address climate change and the problems it presents. It made Kyoto Protocol UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exams a vital point of interest. It was developed for the following reasons:

• Global Climate Change Mitigation;
• Binding Emission Reduction Commitments;
• Identical but Diverse Responsibilities;
• Development of Sustainable Practices;
• Scientific Recommendation;
• International Cooperation Among Nations.

The Bottom Line

The Kyoto Protocol was essential in forging international cooperation between nations. The pact established emission reduction commitments and increased public understanding of climate change.

However, they were setbacks too. There needed to be more clarity on the goals nations stood to achieve. They were reluctant to compromise their economy. It led to insufficient carbon reductions and changing global dynamics. The process underlined the necessity of ongoing global efforts to combat climate change. 

World leaders have learned from the Kyoto Protocol, and subsequent pacts will be more efficient.