The Pros And Cons Of The Kyoto Protocol

Description of The Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was developed in Kyoto, Japan in 1997 and came into full force on the 16th of February 2005 in an effort to compact climate change (“Kyoto Protocol Reference Manual,” 2008). By targeting green house gas emissions, the Kyoto Protocol created an effort to “promote sustainable development (“Kyoto Protocol To The United Nations,” 1998).” The protocol’s goal was to reduce green house gas emissions from 1990 by 4.2% by 2008-2012, which 37 developed countries signed and pledged to (Schiermeier, 2012). With such a specific target, the goal was clear and quantifiable, making it easy to measure, when the time came, whether or not the Kyoto Protocol’s goal had been reached. Also, the involvement of these 37 countries was crucial in obtaining the goal. Without international cooperation the goal of reducing carbon emissions would never be effective as green house gasses effect the entire globe’s atmosphere not one local

Contributing to the protocol’s success was the economic downturn at the time as well as implementations already going to take place, such as the United Kingdom coal mines closing, making it easy for them to reach their 12.5% reduction goal (Schiermeier, 2012). Another factor contributing to Kyoto 's success was the mechanisms created, such as the clean development mechanism(CDM). This allowed for increased Kyoto units, meaning countries assigned amount of emissions allowed would increase when nations created a plan in developing countries to help reduce their emissions. This allowed for countries to reach their emissions targets though alternative options, if they couldn’t directly lower their own local carbon emissions (“Kyoto Protocol Reference Manual,” 2008). While this factor helped reach the protocol’s goal, it also was a factor that contributed to increased worldwide emissions by not exceeding it’s full