What is the Kyoto Protocol?
Written by Craig OBrien on Dec 14, 2007 11:49 am
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and became international law in 2005. There are 176 countries that have ratified Kyoto.
Kyoto binds developed countries to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions. Developing nations were excluded from the first round of targets since developed nations can more easily afford the cost of reducing emissions. They also generally produce more greenhouse gas emissions per person than developing nations.
The targets for each nation must be met between 2008 and 2012, where the total levels of emissions during this period should not exceed 5 per cent against the baseline of 1990. Australia is an exception to this, due to negotiations based on our dependence on coal-fired electricity and the considerable cost of reducing carbon emissions. Australia's target is an 8 per cent increase from 1990 levels.
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