Kyoto Protocol 101

8/13/2019 Kyoto Protocol 101

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Kyoto Protocol


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Summary

Milestones1972 Stockholm Declaration

1988 Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change

1992 UN Framewor Convention on Climate Change

1997 Byrd-Hagel Resolution

1997 Kyoto Protocol

2005 Kyoto Rulebook

Statistics

Reactions


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United Nations Conference on

the Human Environment

Stockholm Declaration of 1972


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Some Highlights

protection and improvement of the humanenvironment is a major issue

developing countries must direct their

efforts to development, bearing in mindtheir priorities and the need to safeguardand improve the environment

natural growth of population continuouslypresents problems for the preservation ofthe environment


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Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change

established 1988

joint program of the

World Meteorological Organizationand the United Nations

Environment Programme


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Mandate

Assess scientific, technical and socio-

economic information relevant for theunderstanding of climate change, its

potential impacts and options for

adaptation and mitigation


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This group publishes the IPCC Reportrs that we have used

previously in this class


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United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change

1992


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Byrd-Hagel Resolution

US Senate, 1997(non-binding, but passed 95-0)

The U.S. will not enter into an agreement

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that

will be detrimental to the economy of the

U.S.

The U.S. will not enter into an agreement

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions thatdoes not require "meaningful involvement"

on the part of developing nations.


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Kyoto Protocolto the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change

negotiated in 1997

open for signature in 1998

came into force February 16, 2005


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The Kyoto Protocol is a agreement under which industrialized countries willreduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% comparedto the year 1990

Compared to the emissions levels that would be expected by 2010 withoutthe Protocol, this target represents a 29% cut.

The goal is to lower overall emissions from six greenhouse gases - carbon

dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, HFCs, and PFCs -calculated as an average over the five-year period of 2008-12.

National targets range from 8% reductions for the European Union andsome others to 7% for the US, 6% for Japan, 0% for Russia, and permittedincreases of 8% for Australia and 10% for Iceland.

Sinks can be used to offset emission and emission credits can be traded.

IPPC analyses used in assessments of sources and sinks

Highlights


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Why 10% increase for Iceland?

In October, 2000 I (B.Menke) participated in adiscussion with PresidentGrimsson of Iceland, whowas visiting LDEO. He

said that because ofIcelands heavy relianceon geothermal andhydroelectric energy, itsper-capita emissions

were low. Even openingone new factory wouldrepresent an increasethat would be hard tooffset.


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US and Kyoto

US signed in 1998 (Clinton) but withdrew in in2001

"The Kyoto Protocol was fatally flawed infundamental ways, but the process used to bringnations together to discuss our joint response toclimate change is an important one

George W. Bush

June 11, 2001


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Bushs Criticismsemissions targets arbitrary and not based on

science

protocol's binding limits on emissions couldharm the U.S. economy

Several big emitter countries, such as China(the number 2 emitter) and India (number

6) are totally exempt.


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Kyoto Rule Book

December 2, 2005

Defines how each countrys emissions andsinks (e.g. reforestation) are accounted

Developed countries can invest in otherdeveloped countries and earn carbonallowances

Establishes the Clean Development

Mechanism which allows developed countriesto invest in sustainable development projects(excl. nukes) in developing countries


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Status and Projections


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Various Reactions to Kyoto


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Although every European country says

that it supports ratification of Kyoto, none

have explained what ratification meansfor their citizens and their economies. If

they were so confident that these targets

could be achieved at low cost with noserious economic consequences, they

would be more forthcoming with their

plans and analyses.

William O'Keefe

Marshall Institute


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The arguments for and against nuclear

power have changed somewhat over theyears. Finlands Minister of Trade and

Industry, Ms Sinikka Mnkre, who is a

Social Democrat and a physician, arguesfor the building of a new nuclear power

plant because of Finland's climate

commitments under the Kyoto protocol,and the price and availability of energy.


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Why Greenpeace supports Kyoto

The Kyoto Protocol is the only global action plan

against climate change. It's just the first step but

the way forward is for countries to get on board

and negotiate the next round of emissions

reduction targets.

From the GreenPeace website


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The president's decision to pull out of the KyotoProtocol is going to cost U.S. energy technologycompanies millions of dollars. The internationalagreement will create a multibillion dollar market

in the developing world for renewable energytechnologies, and the Germans and theJapanese, participants in Kyoto, are going tohave a leg up in that market.

Philip Clapp

National Environment Trust


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Independent of politics, going after reducing

CO2makes real business sense because

it usually means going after energy use.

Kristen Zimmerman

Spokesperson for

General Motors Corporation


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The expansion of palm oil production* is one of the leading

causes of rainforest destruction in south-east Asia. It isone of the most environmentally damaging commoditieson the planet. Once again it appears we are trying tosolve our environmental problems by dumping them indeveloping countries, where they have devastatingeffects on local people.

Simon Counsell

Rainforest Foundation

* due to a European Union laws requiring conventional fuels to beblended with biofuels

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Kyoto Protocol 101