The Kyoto Protocol
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Transcript The Kyoto Protocol
International cooperation
Part IV
The UNFCCC
and the Kyoto Protocol
Session 7
The UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Main outcome of IPCC and the Rio Earth Summit (1992), and
first international agreement on climate
Choice between 2 possible options:
A global treaty on the atmosphere
A treaty focused on climate change
General objective: the stabilisation of a GHG concentration at
a level that would avoid dangerous interference with the
climate
Two key priciples:
Common but differentiated responsibility
Respective capacities.
Not binding, no mandatory limits for GHG emissions. Sole
obligation: GHG inventory to be submitted each year.
Three important mechanisms:
Mandatory protocols
Countries divided in Annex I countries, Annex II countries (a subset of
Annex I) and developing countries
This division has not changed since.
COP to be held every year
The Kyoto Protocol
Mandatory update of
UNFCCC
Opened for signature in 1997,
entered into force 8 years
later
Conditions: 55 parties, and
55% of CO2 emissions
176 countries have ratified.
Only 37 have to reduce their
emissions
General design of the Protocol
Fixed term: expires in 2012
General objectives: cut GHG emissions by an average 5% from
1990 (base year)
Underpinning principle: common but differentiated
responsibility
Distinction between Annex I countries and non Annex I
countries
Flexible mechanisms
Heavy emphasis on mitigation, little emphasis on adaptation
Kyoto and Europe
All EU-members’ ratifications deposited simultaneoulsy on 31 May 2002
EU counted as an individual entity
EU produces about 22% of gas emissions
Agreed to a cut of 8% from 1990 levels
One of the major supporters of the treaty
EU elected to be treated as a ‘bubble’, and created an EU Emissions
Trading Scheme
France: 0%. No need to cut emissions
Germany: -21%. Has reduced its emissions by 17.2% between 1990 and 2004.
UK: -12.5%. Appears to be on course to meet its target.
Different commitments
Flexible mechanisms
Innovative aspect of the Kyoto Protocol
Mechanisms relying on the market, rather than on states
Highly criticised as paramount of ‘environmental liberalism’
Three mechanisms:
Carbon market (‘cap and trade’)
Clean Development Mechanism
Joint Implementation
The carbon market:
The EU Emission Trading Scheme
General principle: maximisation of economic efficiency – at the
expense of ethics?
Industries are given quotas of emission allowances
Application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle
Scheme started in 2005, all 27 countries take part
Problems:
Price of carbon highly versatile
Covers about half of the EU’s CO2 emissions
Too many quotas on the market
Third phase 2013-2020, with auctioning and a central authority
Crippled with corruption problems
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
Aims to combine development and climate, equity and
efficiency
Economic efficiency: costs of abatment are cheaper in
developing countries
Functioning:
Alternative to domestic reductions
Allow Annex I countries to invest in projects that reduce
emissions in developing countries
New carbon credits: Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)
Geographical distribution of CDMs
Criticism
Reality of avoided emissions
Principle of additionality
Incentive to misrepresent reality
Overpricing and overestimation
Unlimited credits
A country could completely externalise its efforts
Transfer of emissions?
Development objectives ?
Almost no CDM projects in Africa
Joint implementation
Similar mechanism as CDM, but in Annex I countries (i.e.
In Eastern Europe and Russia)
Provides Emission Reduction Units (ERUs), where 1 ERU
= 1 ton of CO2
No new credits
Long and fastidious process
Some final words
Kyoto is an agreement between industrialised countries, where
developing countries are mostly oberservers:
No limits on emissions
Do not benefit from flexible mechanisms
Treaty focused on mitigation, not adaptation
Role of civil society in international cooperation?
Role of local entities?