Envi Acts Laws Protocols

7/25/2019 Envi Acts Laws Protocols

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Administrators Pledge :: The World is Mine and So are all the Problems and Smiles

The World and Its Problems are Mine...When I think so, I do find the wherewithal to deal with...

[email protected] [email protected]

The Indian Forest Act, 1927

Provisions of Factories Act, 1948

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960

The Wild Life(Protection) Act,1972

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

The Forest(Conservation)Act,1980

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro OrganismsGenetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989

Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989

The Public Liability Insurance Act,1991

RECOGNITION OF ZOO RULES 1992

The Wild Life (Protection) Rules, 1995

The National Environmental TribunalAct,1995

The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997

Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998

Re-cycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999

Municipal Solid Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000

The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000

Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation) Rules, 2000

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002

Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2011
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Stockholm conf on Envi 1972

Vienna Conf On Ozone Depletion 1985 in force fm 1987

Montreal Protocol On Ozone Depletion 1987

UN Earth Summit/

Rio (Earth) Summit/ UNCED on Envi 1992

Basel Convention on Hazardous Waste 1992

Kyoto Protocol on Global Warming 1997

Bali Road Map 2007

Copenhagen Accord 2009

Cancun Conf 2010

Durban Conf 2011

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment(also known as the Stockholm

Conference) was an international conference convened underUnited Nations auspices held in

Stockholm,Sweden from June 5-16, 1972. It was the UN's first major conference on international

environmental issues, and marked a turning point in the development of international environmental

politics.

When the UN General Assembly decided to convene the Stockholm Conference, at the initiative of

the Government ofSweden,UN Secretary-GeneralU Thant invitedMaurice Strong to lead it as

Secretary-General of the Conference.

The conference was opened and addressed by the Swedish Prime MinisterOlof Palme andsecretary-

generalKurt Waldheim to discuss the state of the globalenvironment.Attended by the representatives

of 113 countries, 19 inter-governmental agencies, and more than 400 inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, it is widely recognized as the beginning of modern political and public

awareness of global environmental problems.
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The meeting agreed upon a Declaration containing 26 principles concerning the environment

and development; an Action Plan with 109 recommendations, and a Resolution.

Some argue that this conference, and more importantly the scientific conferences preceding it, had areal impact on the environmental policies of theEuropean Community (that would later become theEuropean Union). For example, in 1973, the EU created the Environmental and Consumer ProtectionDirectorate, and composed the first Environmental Action Program. Such increased interest andresearch collaboration arguably paved the way for further understanding of global warming, whichhas led to such agreements as theKyoto Protocol.

The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is aMultilateral EnvironmentalAgreement.It was agreed upon at theVienna Conference of 1985 and entered into force in 1988. It

acts as a framework for the international efforts to protect theozone layer.However, it does notinclude legally binding reduction goals for the use ofCFCs,the main chemical agents causingozonedepletion,laid out in the accompanyingMontreal Protocol.

The largest Antarctic ozone hole recorded as of September 2006

The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer(a protocol to theVienna

Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer)is an internationaltreaty designed to protect

theozone layerby phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be responsible

forozone depletion.

The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987, and entered into force on January 1,

1989, followed by a first meeting inHelsinki,May 1989.

Since then, it has undergone seven revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992 (Copenhagen),

1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999 (Beijing). It is believed that if the

international agreement is adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2050.
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Due to its widespread adoption and implementation it has been hailed as an example of exceptional

international co-operation, withKofi Annan quoted as saying that "perhaps the single most successful

international agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol". It has been ratified by 196 states and

the European Union

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) is a scientificintergovernmental bodytasked with reviewing and assessing the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economicinformation produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.

It provides the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of climate change and itspotential environmental and socio-economic consequences, notably therisk ofclimate change causedby human activity.

The panel was established in 1988 by theWorld Meteorological Organization (WMO) and theUnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP), two organizations of theUnited Nations.

The IPCC shared the 2007Nobel Peace Prize with formerVice President of the United StatesAlGore for his environmental activities and movie Inconvenient Truth.

The IPCC does not carry out its own original research, nor does it do the work of monitoring climateor related phenomena itself. A main activity of the IPCC is publishing special reports on topicsrelevant to the implementation of theUN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aninternational treaty that acknowledges the possibility of harmful climate change. Implementation ofthe UNFCCC led eventually to theKyoto Protocol.

The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. The IPCCis only open to member states of the WMO and UNEP

Aims of the IPCC

to assess scientific information relevant to

1 human-induced climate change2 the impacts of human-induced climate change3 options for adaptation and mitigation.

The IPCC first assessment report was completed in 1990, and served as the basis of theUnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The executive summary of the Working Group I Summary for Policy makers report says they arecertain that emissions resulting from human activities are substantially increasing the atmosphericconcentrations of the greenhouse gases, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth'ssurface. They calculate with confidence that CO2has been responsible for over half the enhancedgreenhouse effect. They predict that under a "business as usual" (BAU) scenario, global mean
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temperature will increase by about 0.3 oC per decade during the [21st] century. They judge that globalmean surface air temperature has increased by 0.3 to 0.6 oC over the last 100 years.

CO2 LEVELS IN ATMOSPHERE

The concentration ofcarbon dioxide(CO2) inEarth's atmosphere is approximately 390ppm (parts permillion) by volume as of 2010 end. This data shows it rises relatively quickly, and even the rise growsquickly. The average growth for the period 2001-2010 was 2.03 ppm per year. Carbon dioxide isessential tophotosynthesis inplants and otherphotoautotrophs,and is also a prominentgreenhousegas.Despite its relatively small overall concentration in the atmosphere, CO2is an importantcomponent of Earth's atmosphere because it absorbs and emitsinfrared radiation thereby playing arole in thegreenhouse effect.The present level is higher than at any time during the last 800 thousand(8 Lakh) years and likely higher than in the past 20 million years.

RIO DE JANEIRO - EARTH SUMMIT

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), known as the RioSummit, Rio Conference, Earth Summitwas a majorUnited Nationsconference held inRio deJaneiro,Brazil from 3 June to 14 June 1992.

172 governments participated, with 108 sending their heads of state or government. 2,400representatives ofnon-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended, with 17,000 people at theparallel NGO "Global Forum", who hadConsultative Status.

The issues addressedincluded:

systematic scrutiny of patterns of productionparticularly the production of toxiccomponents, such as lead ingasoline,or poisonous waste including radioactive chemicals

alternative sources of energy to replace the use offossil fuels which are linked to globalclimate change

new reliance onpublic transportation systems in order to reduce vehicle emissions,congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smog

the growing scarcity ofwater

An important achievement was an agreement on theClimate Change Convention which in turn led totheKyoto Protocol.

Another agreement was to "not carry out any activities on the lands ofindigenous peoples that wouldcause environmental degradation or that would be culturally inappropriate".

TheConvention on Biological Diversity was opened for signature at the Earth Summit, and made astart towards redefinition ofmoney supply measures that did not inherently encourage destruction ofnaturaleco regions and so-calleduneconomic growth.
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Twelve cities were also honoured by theLocal Government Honours Awardfor innovative local

environmental programs. These includedSudbury inCanada for its ambitious program to rehabilitate

environmental damage from the localmining industry,Austin in theUnited States for itsgreen

building strategy, andKitakyshinJapan for incorporating an international education and training

component into its municipal pollution control program

TheBasel Convention (1992) on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous

Wastes and Their Disposal

usually known simply as the Basel Convention, is an internationaltreaty that was designed to reduce

the movements ofhazardous wastebetween nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous

waste fromdeveloped toless developed countries (LDCs). It does not address the movement of

radioactive waste.

The Convention is also intended to

minimize the amount andtoxicity of wastes generated,

to ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation,

and

to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they

generate.

The Convention was opened for signature on 22 March 1989, and entered into force on 5

May 1992. A list of parties to the Convention, and their ratification status, can be found on

the Basel Secretariat'sweb page.Of the 175 parties to the Convention, onlyAfghanistan,

Haiti,and theUnited States have signed the Convention but not yetratified it.

With the tightening of environmental laws in developed nations in the 1970s, disposal costs for

hazardous waste rose dramatically. At the same time, globalization of shipping made transboundary

movement of waste more accessible, and many LDCs were desperate for foreign currency.

Consequently, the trade in hazardous waste, particularly to LDCs, grew rapidly.
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One of the incidents which led to the creation of the Basel Convention was theKhian Seawaste

disposal incident,in which a ship carrying incinerator ash from the city of Philadelphia in the United

States after having dumped half of its load on a beach in Haiti, was forced away where it sailed for

many months, changing its name several times. Unable to unload the cargo in any port, the crew was

believed to have dumped much of it at sea.

Another is the 1988 Koko case in which 5 ships transported 8,000 barrels of hazardous waste from

Italy to the small town of Koko in Nigeria in exchange for $100 monthly rent which was paid to a

Nigerian for the use of his farmland.

These practices have been deemed "Toxic Colonialism" by many developing countries.

At its most recent meeting, November 27December 1, 2006, the Conference of the Parties of theBasel Agreement focused on issues ofelectronic waste and the dismantling of ships.

According to Maureen Walsh in "The global trade in hazardous wastes: domestic and international

attempts to cope with a growing crisis in waste management" 42 Cath. U. Law Review 103 (1992),

only around 4% of hazardous wastes that come from OECD countries

(((Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Founder States (1961)

Other Member States

Secretariat Paris,France
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Membership

34 states,

20 founder states

(1961)

Leaders

- Secretary General Jos ngel Gurra

Establishment

- as the OEEC1 16 April 1948

- reformed as theOECD

30 September 1961

Websitewww.oecd.org

1Organisation for European Economic Co-

operation.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD,French:: Organisation decoopration et de dveloppement conomiques, OCDE) is aninternational economic organisation of34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum ofcountries committed todemocracy and themarket economy,providing a platform to compare policyexperiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and co-ordinate domesticand international policies of its members.

The OECD originated in 1948 as the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), ledbyRobert Marjolin ofFrance,to help administer theMarshall Plan for the reconstruction of EuropeafterWorld War II.Later, its membership was extended to non-European states. In 1961, it wasreformed into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development by theConvention on

the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.Most OECD members arehigh-income economies with a "very high" Human Development Index (HDI)and are regarded asdeveloped countries.

The OECD's headquarters are at theChteau de la MuetteinParis,France.))))))

are actually shipped across international borders. These wastes include, among others, chemical
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waste, radioactive waste, municipal solid waste, asbestos, incinerator ash, and old tires. Of

internationally shipped waste that comes from developed countries, more than half is shipped for

recovery and the remainder for final disposal.

Increased trade in recyclable materials has led to an increase in a market for used products such as

computers. This market is valued in billions of dollars. At issue is the distinction when used

computers stop being a "commodity" and become a "waste".

cells are recyclable in most countries.

A waste will fall under the scope of the Convention if it is within the category of wastes listed in

Annex I of the Convention and it does exhibit one of the hazardous characteristics contained in Annex

III. In other words it must both be listed and contain a characteristic such as being explosive,

flammable, toxic, or corrosive. The other way that a waste may fall under the scope of the Convention

is if it is defined as or considered to be a hazardous waste under the laws of either the exporting

country, the importing country, or and of the countries of transit.

The definition of the term disposal is made in Article 2 al 4 and just refers to annex IV, which gives alist of operations which are understood as disposal or recovery. The examples of disposal are broad

and include also recovery, recycling.

Annex II lists other wastes such as household wastes and residue that comes from incinerating

household waste.

Radioactive waste that is covered under other international control systems and wastes from the

normal operation of ships is not covered.

Annex IX attempts to define "commodities" which are not considered wastes and which would be

excluded.

Obligations
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In addition to conditions on the import and export of the above wastes, there are stringent

requirements for notice, consent and tracking for movement of wastes across national boundaries. It is

of note that the Convention places a general prohibition on the exportation or importation of wastes

between Parties and non-Parties.

The exception to this rule is where the waste is subject to another treaty that does not take away from

the Basel Convention. The United States is a notable non-Party to the Convention and has a number

of such agreements for allowing the shipping of hazardous wastes to Basel Party countries.

The OECD Council also has its own control system that governs the trans-boundary movement of

hazardous materials between OECD member countries. This allows, among other things, the OECD

countries to continue trading in wastes with countries like the United States that have not ratified the

Basel Convention.

Parties to the Convention must honor import bans of other Parties.

Article 4 of the Basel Convention calls for an overall reduction of waste generation. By encouraging

countries to keep wastes within their boundaries and as close as possible to its source of generation,

the internal pressures should provide incentives for waste reduction and pollution prevention.

The Convention states that illegal hazardous waste traffic is criminal but contains no enforcement

provisions.

According to Article 12, Parties are directed to adopt a protocol that establishes liability rules and

procedures that are appropriate for damage that comes from the movement of hazardous waste across

borders.

Basel Ban Amendment

After the initial adoption of the Convention, some LDCs and environmental organizations argued thatit did not go far enough. Many nations andNGOs argued for a total ban on shipment of all hazardous

waste to LDCs.

In particular, the original Convention did not prohibit waste exports to any location exceptAntarctica

but merely required a notification and consent system known as "prior informed consent" or PIC.

Further, many waste traders sought to exploit the good name of recycling and begin to justify all
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exports as moving to recycling destinations.

Many believed a full ban was needed including exports for recycling. These concerns led to several

regional waste trade bans, including theBamako Convention.

Lobbying at the 1995 Basel conference by LDCs,Greenpeace and key European countries such

as Denmark, led to a decision to adopt theBasel Ban Amendment to the Basel Convention.

Not yet in force, but considered morally binding by signatories, the Amendment prohibits the export

of hazardous waste from a list of developed (mostlyOECD)countries to developing countries. The

Basel Ban applies to export for any reason, includingrecycling.

An area of special concern for advocates of the Amendment was the sale of ships for salvage,

shipbreaking.The Ban Amendment was strenuously opposed by a number of industry groups as well

as nations includingAustralia andCanada.The number of ratification for the entry-into force of the

Ban Amendment is under debate: Amendments to the convention enter into force after ratification of

"three-fourths of the Parties who accepted them" [Art. 17.5]; TheEuropean Union fully implemented

the Basel Ban in itsWaste Shipment Regulation (EWSR), making it legally binding in all EU member

states. Norway and Switzerland have similarly fully implemented the Basel Ban in their legislation.

In the light of the blockage concerning the entry into force of the Ban amendment, Switzerland and

Indonesia have launched a Country-led Initiative (CLI) to discuss in an informal manner a way

forward to ensure that the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes, especially to developing

countries and countries with economies in transition, do not lead to an unsound management of

hazardous wastes.

This discussion aims at identifying and finding solutions to the reasons why hazardous wastes are

still brought to countries that are not able to treat them in a safe manner. It is hoped that the CLI will

contribute to the realization of the objectives of the Ban Amendment. The Basel Convention's website

informs about the progress of this initiative

ROTTERDAM CONFERNCE::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Hexachlorobenzene

Lindane

Mercury compoundsincluding inorganic and organometallic mercury compounds

Methamidophos(certain formulations)

Methyl parathion(certain formulations)

Monocrotophos

Parathion

Pentachlorophenoland its salts and esters

Phosphamidon(certain formulations)

Polybrominated biphenyls(PBB)

Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCB)

Polychlorinated terphenyls(PCT)

Substances proposed for addition to the Convention

Chrysotile Asbestos

Paraquat

2011 Meetings: Global Controversy over Canada's Stand on Chrysotile

At the 2011 meeting of the Rotterdam Convention in Geneva, the Canadian delegation surprised many

with their continued refusal to allow the addition ofchrysotileasbestos fibers to the Rotterdam

Convention

Since Canada's declaration made byDavid Sproule,Canada has been referred to as a "rogue

nation".Hearings are scheduled in the EU in the near future to evaluate the position of Canada and

decide on the possibility of a punitive course of action.

In continuing its objection, Canada becomes the only G8 country objecting to the listing. Kyrgyzstan,

Kazakhstan and Ukraine continued their objections as the parties headed into a breakout session to

try to work through some of the objections. Vietnam had also raised an objection, but missed a

followup meeting on the issue. In taking its position, the Canadian Government came into direct

conflict with India, who had changed its long-standing objection to the addition of chrysotile to the

list just prior to the 2011 conference

NumerousNon-governmental Organizationshave publicly expressed criticism of Canada's decision to

block this addition.
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***IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)

1) Extinct (EX) - No individuals remaining.

2) Extinct in the Wild (EW) - Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized populationoutside its historic range.

3) Critically Endangered (CR) - Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild .

4) Endangered (EN) - High risk of extinction in the wild .

5) Vulnerable (VU) - High risk of endangerment in the wild .

6)Near Threatened (NT) - Likely to become endangered in the near future .

7) Least Concern (LC) - Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category, Widespread andabundant taxa are included in this category.

8) Data Deficien t (DD) - Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction.

9)Not Evaluated (NE) - Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.

When discussing the IUCN Red List, the official term "threatened" is a grouping of three categories:Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable, in the order of highest to lower threat values.

***The Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD), known informally as the BiodiversityConvention, is an international legally bindingtreaty.The Convention has three main goals:

(1) conservation of biological diversity (orbiodiversity);(2) sustainable use of its components; and(3) fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources

In other words, its objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable useof biological diversity. It is often seen as the key document regardingsustainable development.

The Convention was opened for signature at theEarth Summit inRio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 andentered into force on 29 December 1993.

2010 was theInternational Year of Biodiversity.The Secretariat of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity is the focal point for the International Year of Biodiversity. At the 2010 10th Conference ofParties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October inNagoya,Japan,the NagoyaProtocol was adopted.

On 22 December 2010, the UN declared the period from 2011 to 2020 as the UN-Decade onBiodiversity.
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The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2003)is an international agreement onbiosafety,as asupplement to theConvention on Biological Diversity

Overview of the Biosafety Protocol

The Biosafety Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by livingmodified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.

The Biosafety Protocol makes clear that products from new technologies must be based ontheprecautionary principle and allow developing nations to balance public health against economicbenefits. It will for example let countries ban imports of aliving modified organism if they feel thereis not enough scientific evidence that the product issafe and requires exporters to label shipmentscontaining genetically altered commodities such as corn or cotton.

The required number of 50 instruments of ratification by countries was reached in May 2003 and theProtocol entered into force on 11 September 2003.

Objective of the Protocol

In accordance with theprecautionary approach,contained in Principle 15 of theRio Declaration onEnvironment and Development,the objectiveof the Protocol is to contribute to ensuring an adequatelevel of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of 'living modified organismsresulting from modern biotechnology' that may have adverse effects on the conservation andsustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specificallyfocusing on transboundary movements

Living modified organisms (LMOs)

Living modified organisms (known as LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology are broadlyequivalent togenetically modified organisms.The differencebetween an LMO and a GMO is that aLiving Modified Organism is capable of growing, and typically refers to agricultural crops.Genetically Modified Organisms include both LMOs and organisms which are not capable ofgrowing, i.e. are dead. 'Modern biotechnology' is defined in the Protocol to mean the application of invitro nucleic acid techniques, or fusion of cells beyond the taxonomic family, that overcome naturalphysiological reproductive or recombination barriers and are not techniques used in traditionalbreeding and selection.

Why Govt. supports GM crops

Genetically Modified (GM) crops have the potential to increase farm yields, reduce farm costs andthereby increase farm incomes. The Government has, therefore, been very supportive of the efforts todevelop transgenic crops. Many transgenic crops are currently being developed and tested at variouspublic and private institutions. Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)is implementing amegaNetwork Project on Transgenics in Crops (NPTC)to initiate and strengthen the Research andDevelopment (R&D) efforts on functional genomics and transgenic crops.
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In view of concerns regarding the risk to human health and the environment from the use of GMcrops, Government has, adopted a case by case approach to assess safety concerns in respect of eachtransgenic event. All issues relating to bio-safety, environmental safety, etc., have been entrusted to astrict regulatory regime under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Geneticallymodified (GM) crops are already being planted in 25 countries, including 15 developed and 10

industrialised countries as per ISAAA, 2008.

Species exempted under Biodiversity Act

190 plantspecieshave been exempted through a notification in October, 2009 from the purview of theBiological Diversity Act 2002. The Notification dated 26.10.2009, lists 190 biological resource whichwould be exempt from the purview of theBiologicalDiversity Act, 2002, provided they are traded ascommoditiesfor export.

However, in case these resources are used for any other purpose including research orindustrialuse,prior approval of theNational Biodiversity Authoritywould be required as per the provisions of the

Act.

The list of 190 plant species include 15 plants that are threatened, vulnerable or critically endangered.The threats to the survival of these plants species are as follows: 6 are listed as vulnerable, 5 nearthreatened, 1 is endangered and 3 critically endangered. Considering that India has no regulatorycapacity to distinguish the source of these species from cultivation areas or the wild, there is a veryhigh chance that the desire for economic gains will lead to overexploitation of wild varieties, whichcould push already endangered plants into extinction.

An NGO Environmental Support Group (ESG)Bangalore has brought to the notice of MoEF thedangers of exempting species of plants and animals from theBiologicalDiversity Act, 2002

How exports can drive endangered species to the point of extinction is exemplified by the case ofPuntius denisonii, a popular freshwater fish in the international aquarium trade owing to its exquisitebeauty, which is also known as Denison's barb or Miss Kerala.

Kyoto Protocol::::::::::::::::::

Kyoto Protocol

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change

Participation in the Kyoto Protocol, as of December
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2011,

Brown = Countries that have signed and ratified the

treaty

(Annex I & II countries in dark brown)

Blue = No intention to ratify at this stage.[1]

Dark blue = Canada, which withdrew from the Protocol

in December 2011.[2]

Grey = no position taken or position unknown

Signed 11 December 1997

Location Kyoto

Effective 16 February 2005

Condition ratification by 55 States to the Convention,

incorporating States included in Annex I

which accounted in total for at least 55 per

cent of the total carbon dioxide emissions

for 1990 of the Parties included in Annex I

Signatories 83

Ratifiers 191

Depositary Secretary-General of the United Nations

Languages Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian

and Spanish

Kyoto Protocol atWikisource

The Kyoto Protocolis aprotocol to theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), aimed at fightingglobal warming.The UNFCCC is aninternationalenvironmentaltreaty with the goal of achieving the "stabilisation ofgreenhouse

gas concentrations in theatmosphere at a level that wouldprevent dangerous anthropogenic

interference with the climate system.

The Protocol was initially adopted on 11 December 1997 inKyoto,Japan, and entered into force on

16 February 2005. As of September 2011,191 states have signed and ratified the protocol. The only
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remaining signatory not to have ratified the protocol is the United States. OtherUnited

Nations member states which did not ratify the protocol are Afghanistan, Andorra and South Sudan.

In December 2011, Canada denounced the Protocol.

Under the Protocol, 37 countries ("Annex I countries") commit themselves to a reduction offourgreenhouse gases (GHG) (carbon dioxide,methane,nitrous oxide,sulphur hexafluoride)and two

groups of gases (hydrofluorocarbons andperfluorocarbons)produced by them, and all member

countries give general commitments.

At negotiations, Annex I countries (including the US) collectively agreed to reduce their greenhouse

gas emissions by 5.2% on average for the period 2008-2012. This reduction is relative to their annual

emissions in a base year, usually 1990.

Since the US has not ratified the treaty, the collective emissions reduction of Annex I Kyoto

countries falls from 5.2% to 4.2% below base year.

Emission limits do not include emissions by international aviation and shipping, but are in addition to

the industrial gases,chlorofluorocarbons,or CFCs, which are dealt with under the 1987Montreal

Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

BALI ROAD MAP

After the2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference on the islandBali inIndonesia in

December, 2007 the participating nations adopted the Bali Road Map as a two-year process to

finalizing a binding agreement in2009 in Copenhagen.

The Bali Road Map includes the Bali Action Plan (BAP)that was adopted

The Conference of Parties decided to launch a comprehensive process to enable the implementation of

the Convention through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012, by addressing:

(the called pillars or building blocks)

A shared vision for long-term cooperative action, including a long-term global goal foremission

reductions.

Enhanced national/international action onmitigation of climate change.

Enhanced action on adaptation.

Enhanced action ontechnology development and transfer to support action on mitigation and

adaptation.
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Enhanced action on the provision of financial resources and investment to support action on

mitigation and adaptation and technology cooperation.

Cutting emissions

The nations acknowledge that evidence forglobal warming is unequivocal, and that humans must

reduce emissions to reduce the risks of "severe climate change impacts" and emphasized the urgency

to address climate change.There was a strong consensus for updated changes for both developed and

developing countries. Although there were not specific numbers agreed upon in order to cut

emissions, the Decision recognized that there was a need for "deep cuts in global emissions" (plural

countries proposes 100% reduction in 2050) and that "developed country emissions must fall 10-40%

by 2020".

Mitigation

Enhanced action on mitigation of climate change includes, inter alia:

Nationally appropriate mitigation commitments or actions by all developed countries.

Nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs)by developing countries.

Cooperative sectorial approaches and sector-specific actions (CSAs).

Ways to strengthen the catalytic role of the convention.

Forests

The nations pledge "policyapproaches and positive incentives" on issues relating toreducing

emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD)in developing countries; and

enhancement offorest carbon stock in developing countries This paragraph is referred to as REDD -

plus.

Adaptation

The nations opt for enhanced co-operation to "support urgent implementation" of measures to protect

poorer countries against climate change, including NAPAs. impacts.

Technology

Intechnology development andtransfer,the nations will consider how to facilitate the transfer ofclean and renewable energy technologies from industrialised nations to the developing countries.This

includes, inter alia:

Removal of obstacles to, an provision of financial and other incentives for,scaling up the

development and transfer of technology to developing country Parties in order to promote access

to affordableenvironmentally sound technologies (renewable energies, electric vehicles).
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Ways to accelerate thedeployment,diffussion and transfer of such technologies.

Cooperation on research and development of current, new and innovative technology,

includingwin-win solutions.

The effectiveness of mechanism and tools for technology cooperation in specific sectors.

Finance

Provision of financial resources and investment includes:

Improved access to predictable and sustainable financial resources and the provision of new and

additional resources, includingofficial andconcessional funding for developing country Parties

(dcP).

Positive incentives for dcP for national mitigation strategies and adaptation action.

Innovative means of funding for dcP that are particularly vulnerable to theadverse impacts of

climate change in meeting the costs of adaptation.

Incentivisation of adaptation actions on the basis ofsustainable developmentpolicies.

Mobilization of funding and investment, including facilitation ofclimate-friendly

investment choices.

Financial and technical support forcapacity-building in theassessment of costs of adaptation in

developing countries, to aid in determining their financial needs.

Ad Hoc Working Groups

The Conference decided establish a subsidiary bodies under the Convention to conduct the processthat were to complete their work in 2009. The Group must develop its working programme in its first

session in a coherent and integrated manner.

Timescales

Four major UNFCCC meetings to implement the Bali Road Map were planned for 2008 and the

negotiations process was scheduled to conclude at theUnited Nations Climate Change Conference

2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copenhagen Accord

The Copenhagen Accordis a document that delegates at the 15th session of the Conference of

Parties (COP 15)to theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to "take

note of" at the final plenary on 18 December 2009.

The Accord, drafted by, on the one hand, theUnited States and on the other, in a united position as

theBASIC countries (China,India,South Africa,andBrazil), is notlegally binding and does not
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commit countries to agree to a binding successor to theKyoto Protocol,whose present round ends in

2012

Summary

The Accord

Endorses the continuation of theKyoto Protocol.

Underlines thatclimate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and emphasises a

"strong political will to urgently combat climate change in accordance with the principle of

common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities"

To prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system,recognizes "the

scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees Celsius", in a

context ofsustainable development,to combat climate change. Recognizes "the critical impacts of climate change and the potential impacts of response measures

on countries particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects" and stresses "the need to establish a

comprehensive adaptation programme including international support"

Recognizes that "deep cuts in global emissions are required according to science" (IPCC AR4)

and agrees cooperation in peaking (stopping from rising) global and national greenhouse gas

emissions "as soon as possible" and that "a low-emission development strategy is indispensable to

sustainable development"

States that "enhanced action and international cooperation on adaptationis urgently required to...

reduc[e] vulnerability and build.. resilience in developing countries, especially in those that are

particularly vulnerable, especiallyleast developed countries (LDCs),small island developing

states (SIDS) and Africa" and agrees that "developed countries shall provide adequate, predictable

and sustainable financial resources, technology andcapacity-building to support the

implementation of adaptation action in developing countries"

About mitigationagrees that developed countries (Annex I Parties) would "commit to economy-

wide emissions targets for 2020" to be submitted by 31 January 2010 and agrees that these Parties

to the Kyoto Protocol would strengthen their existing targets. Delivery of reductions and financeby developed countries will be measured, reported and verified (MRV) in accordance with COP

guidelines.

Agrees that developing nations (non-Annex I Parties) would "implement mitigation actions"

(Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions)to slow growth in their carbon emissions, submitting

these by 31 January 2010. LDS and SIDS may undertake actions voluntarily and on the basis of

(international) support.
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Agrees that developing countries would report those actions once every two years via the U.N.

climate change secretariat, subjected to their domestic MRV. NAMAs seeking international

support will be subject to international MRV

Recognizes "the crucial role of reducing emission fromdeforestation andforest degradation and

the need to enhance removals ofgreenhouse gas emission by forests", and the need to establish a

mechanism (includingREDD-plus)to enable the mobilization of financial resources from

developed countries to help achieve this

Decides pursue opportunities to use markets to enhance the cost-effectiveness of, and to promote

mitigation actions.

Developing countries, specially these with low-emitting economies should be provided incentives

to continue to develop on a low-emission pathway

States that "scaled up, new and additional, predictable and adequate fundingas well as improved

access shall be provided to developing countries... to enable and support enhanced action"

Agrees that developed countries would raise funds of $30 billion from 2010-2012 of new and

additional resources

Agrees a "goal" for the world to raise $100 billion per year by 2020, from "a wide variety of

sources", to help developing countries cut carbon emissions (mitigation). New multilateral

funding for adaptation will be delivered, with agovernance structure.

Establishes a Copenhagen Green Climate Fund, as an operating entity of the financial mechanism,

"to support projects, programme, policies and other activities in developing countries related to

mitigation". To this end, creates a High Level Panel

Establishes a Technology Mechanism "to accelerate technologydevelopment and

transfer...guided by a country-driven approach"

Calls for "an assessmentof the implementation of this Accord to be completed by 2015... This

would include consideration of strengthening the long-term goal", for example to limit

temperature rises to 1.5 degrees

Emissions pledges

To date, countries representing over 80% of global emissions have engaged with the Copenhagen

Accord.

31 January 2010 was an initial deadline set under the Accord for countries to submit emissions

reductions targets, however UNFCCC Secretary Yvo De Boer later clarified that this was a "soft

deadline." Countries continue to submit pledges past this deadline.
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The Australian Government committed to reduce emissions by 5 to 25% by 2020

Brazil: 36.1 to 38.9%

Canada: 17%

China: 40 to 45%

India: 20 to 25%

Indonesia: 26%

Israel: 20%[

Japan: 25%

Mexico: 30%

Russian Federation: 15 to 25%

South Africa: 34%

South Korea: 30%United States: 17%

CANCUN CONFERENCE

2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference

The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conferencewas held inCancn,Mexico,from 29November to 10 December 2010. The conference is officially referred to as the 16th session of theConference of the Parties (COP 16) to theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC) and the 6th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties(CMP 6) to theKyoto Protocol.

Background

Following the non-bindingCopenhagen Accordput forth in 2009, international expectations for theCOP16 conference were reduced. Four preparatory rounds of negotiations were held during 2010.

In August 2010,Ban Ki-moon stated that he doubted whether member states would reach a newglobal agreement to addressglobal warming whereas others termed Cancun Conference to be thegreatest societal and economic transformation that the world would ever see.

Outcome

The outcome of the summit was an agreement, though not a binding treaty.

It recognizes that climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to humansocieties and the planet, and thus requires to be urgently addressed by all Parties.
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Affirms that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and that all Parties share avision for long-term cooperative action in order to achieve the objective of the Convention, includingthrough achievement of a global goal.

It recognizes that warming of the climate system is unequivocal and that most of the observed

increase in global average temperatures since the mid twentieth century is very likely due to theobserved increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations, as assessed by theIPCC in itsFourth Assessment Report.

It further recognizes that deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions are required, with a view toreducing global greenhouse gas emissions so as to hold the increase in global average temperaturebelow 2C above pre-industrial levels, and that Parties should take urgent action to meet this long-term goal, consistent with science and on the basis of equity.

Also recognizes the need to consider, in the context of the first review, strengthening in relation to aglobal average temperature rise of 1.5C. Realizes that addressing climate change requires a paradigmshift towards building alow-carbon society

Calls on rich countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as pledged in theCopenhagenAccord,and for developing countries to plan to reduce their emissions.

The agreement includes a "Green Climate Fund," proposed to be worth $100 billion a year by 2020, toassist poorer countries in financing emission reductions and adaptation.

Criticism

There was no agreement on how to extend the Kyoto Protocol, or how the $100 billion a year for theGreen Climate Fund will be raised, or whether developing countries should have binding emissions

reductions or whether rich countries would have to reduce emissions first.

Cancun Conf has been criticized for lack of leadership and for not specifying how the proposedclimate fund will be financed, and for not stating that countries had to "peak" their emissions within10 years and then rapidly reduce them for there to be any chance to avert warming.

Adaptation

It decides establish theCancun Adaptation Framework and theAdaptation Committee,invites Partiesto strengthen and, establish regional adaptation centres and networks and notes that aninternationalcentre to enhance adaptation research and coordination could also be established in a developing

country

Mitigation

Developed countries should submit annualgreenhouse gas inventories andinventory reportsand biennial reports on their progress.

Agrees that developing country Parties will take nationally appropriate mitigation actions inthe context of sustainable development,
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Documents

Envi Acts Laws Protocols