JOCELYN GRAUER

Kyoto Protocol

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Outline

BackgroundKyoto ProvisionsMechanismsImperfectionsU.S. PolicyFuture

The Industrial Revolution

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Importance

With greenhouse emissions on the rise, climate change is occurring more rapidly.

Climate change can cause disastrous effects like: Health: heat stress, air pollution, change in food and

water supply,& ecological disturbances. Ecology: changes in rainfall, temperature and soil, &

habitat transforms. Ocean: melting of glaciers, warmer oceans, rise in sea

level, coastal flooding, salinization, property loss, & reduction in drinking water.

Food Supply: droughts.

Some Effects of Climate Change

Heat Waves

Early Spawning

Alpine Meadow Changes

Thinning Ice Sheets

Retreating Glaciers

Permafrost Thawing

Noticing a Problem

1985- Villach, Austria First validated evaluation of the impact of global

climate change.1988- Toronto, Canada

Call for Action: To reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2005 to 20% below 1988 levels.

1992-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: To

reduce emissions by 2000 to 1990 levels.

Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions

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Formation of the Kyoto Protocol

December 11, 1997- Kyoto, Japan

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 2008 and 2012.

How to reduce: To assign greenhouse targets to developed countries.

To reduce emissions 5.2% below 1990 levels. To arrange emissions trading of six greenhouse gasses.

Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.

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Kyoto Finally in Effect

November, 2004- Russia ratified.

February 16, 2005- The Protocol entered in force. Enough developed nations to represent 55% of

emissions levels in 1990.

Putin and Bush take opposing views on Kyoto.

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183 Countries ratified

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How to Reduce Emissions

Enhance energy efficiency.Protect sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.Promote sustainable agriculture.Promote new and renewable energy forms.Reduce market imperfections, subsidies, and

exemptions in greenhouse emitting sectors.Encourage reforms in sectors aimed at promoting

policies that reduce emissions.Promote measures to reduce emissions.Reduce methane emissions through recovery.

Mechanisms

Emissions Trading (“The Carbon Market”) “Assigned Amount Units” Sell excess units to countries over their targets.

Joint Implementation Earn emission reduction units from a reduction in

emissions by enhancement of removals by sinks.The Clean Development Mechanism

Implement an emission reduction project in developing countries.

Over 1,000 projects registered since 2006 amounting to more than 2.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide.

Emissions Trading

Members set a cap of amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted.

Countries hold credits equivalent to emissions permitted to emit.

Countries can increase emission allowance by buying credits from those that emit less.

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Joint Implementation

Enhance natural sequestration of carbon.

•1. Forest: Increase reforestation causing removal of carbon through photosynthesis.

•2. Ocean: Add iron to stimulate plankton which remove carbon through photosynthesis.

•3. Soil: Increase no-till farming, cover cropping, and crop rotation.

•4. Savanna: Allow controlled burns to increase germination.

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New Ukrainian forests planted to sequester carbon will also provide other benefits such as protecting soils against

erosion.

Clean Development Mechanism

Invest reducing emissions in developing countries to avoid expensive reductions in their own country.

1. Small Scale: Renewables and energy efficiency.

2. Consolidated: Methane reduction and incineration of waste.

3. Forestry: Remediation of degraded land.

The NorthWind Bangui project in the Philippines is the country's first Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project

registered in Bonn, Germany.

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Mechanisms (cont.)

Transfers are tracked and recorded through registry systems.

The mechanisms: Help stimulate green investment. Help Parties meet their emissions targets cost-

effectively.

Controversial Flaws

No penalties for noncompliance or withdraw Possibilities: financial penalties, trade sanctions, and

emission penalties under future climate change agreements.

What are “emission reductions?” Some think “sinks” should receive credits.

Kyoto Mechanisms The actual use of methods have not been finalized.

Fundamental Shortcomings

Exclusion of Developing Nations Old, dirty technology or no environmentally-friendly

alternatives. Kyoto gains offset by developing world.

Costs and Economic Implications Costs are not favorable to immediate benefits.

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U.S. Climate Change Policy

Clinton: 1998- Signed, yet some members of Congress

criticized. Supported Kyoto, yet criticized the exclusion of

developing countries.Bush:

Voluntary actions to reduce emissions by 18% over 10 years (2002).

U.S. Climate Change Research Initiative and National Climate Change Technology Initiative Conduct research and invest in science, technologies,

and institutions.

Overview

The Kyoto Protocol is a significant step forward in reducing emissions.

There are several flexible mechanisms to help reduction.

However, it is diplomatic rather than legally binding.

This complex agreement’s effects have yet to be determined.

Kyoto Protocol

Raises awareness about the severity of global warming.

Not the complete solution. Fundamental reduction in energy consumption. Changes in lifestyle.

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What You Can Do

Learn more about the environment.Save electricity.Bike, bus, and walk.Plant trees.Recycle.Buy energy saving products.

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Works Cited

Bond, Eric. “The Kyoto Protocol.” Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. 16 January 2003. 16 August 2008. http://climatechange.sea.ca/kyoto_protocol.html.

Flannery, Tim. “The Road to Kyoto.” The Weather Makers. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2005.

Fletcher, Susan R. “Global Climate Change: The Kyoto Protocol.” CRS Report for Congress. 21 July 2005. 24 October 2008. http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/50815.pdf.

“Kyoto Protocol FAQs.” CBN News. 14 February 2007. 21 August 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/kyoto/.

“Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.” UNFCC. 21 August 2008. http://unfccc.int/essential_background/kyoto_protocol/items/1678.php.

Pittel, Karen and Rubbelke, Dirk. “Climate policy and ancillary benefits: A survey and integration into the modelling of international negotiations on climate change.” Ecological Economics. 68 (2008): 210-220.