whats the background.....how many nations are involved?..
what are the steps chosenby them...?
2007-04-28 01:51:59 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases.
The Kyoto Protocol now covers more than 160 countries globally and over 55% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
At its heart, the Kyoto Protocol establishes the following principles:
Kyoto is underwritten by governments and is governed by global legislation enacted under the UN’s aegis
Governments are separated into two general categories: developed countries, referred to as Annex I countries (who have accepted GHG emission reduction obligations and must submit an annual greenhouse gas inventory); and developing countries, referred to as Non-Annex I countries (who have no GHG emission reduction obligations but may participate in the Clean Development Mechanism).
Any Annex I country that fails to meet its Kyoto obligation will be penalized by having to submit 1.3 emission allowances in a second commitment period for every ton of GHG emissions they exceed their cap in the first commitment period (i.e, 2008-2012).
By 2008-2012, Annex I countries have to reduce their GHG emissions by an average of 5% below their 1990 levels (for many countries, such as the EU member states, this corresponds to some 15% below their expected GHG emissions in 2008). While the average emissions reduction is 5%, national limitations range from 8% reductions for the European Union to a 10% emissions increase for Iceland; but since the EU intends to meet its target by distributing different rates among its member states,[1] much larger increases (up to 27%) are allowed for some of the less developed EU countries (see below #Increase in GHG emission since 1990). Reduction limitations expire in 2013.
Kyoto includes "flexible mechanisms" which allow Annex I economies to meet their GHG emission limitation by purchasing GHG emission reductions from elsewhere. These can be bought either from financial exchanges (such as the new unrelated-to-Kyoto EU Emissions Trading Scheme) or from projects which reduce emissions in non-Annex I economies under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), or in other Annex-1 countries under the JI.
Only CDM Executive Board-accredited Certified Emission Reductions (CER) can be bought and sold in this manner. Under the aegis of the UN, Kyoto established this Bonn-based Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board to assess and approve projects (“CDM Projects”) in Non-Annex I economies prior to awarding CERs. (A similar scheme called “Joint Implementation” or “JI” applies in transitional economies mainly covering the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe).
What this means in practice is that Non-Annex I economies have no GHG emission restrictions, but when a GHG emission reduction project (a “GHG Project”) is implemented in these countries, that GHG Project will receive Carbon Credit which can be sold to Annex I buyers.
There is alot more to the Kyoto Protocol, so read the actual document for yourself at the link below.
2007-04-28 02:39:59 · answer #1 · answered by Tommy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WHAT'S THE KYOTO PROTOCOL / BACKGROUND
In short it's an agreement between nations to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that they produce. There's a lot more information on this Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
NATIONS THAT HAVE RATIFIED THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
Albania
Algeria
Antigua
Arabia
Argentina
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Chile
China
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Krygyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
North Korea
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and Grenadines
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
United Arab Emirates
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
NATIONS THAT HAVE NOT RATIFIED THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
Australia
United States
--------------
Although the US as a nation has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol the following cities are voluntarily abiding by the terms...
Albany, CA
Albany, NY
Albuquerque, NM
Alexandria, LA
Alexandria, VA
Aliso Viejo, CA
Atlanta, GA
Ann Arbor, MI
Annapolis, MD
Apple Valley, MN
Arcata, CA
Arlington, TX
Ashland, WI
Ashville, NC
Aspen, CO
Athens, GA
Auburn, WA
Austin, TX
Bainbridge Island, WA
Baltimore, MD
Bayonne, NJ
Bellevue, NE
Bellingham, WA
Berkeley, CA
Billings, MT
Bloomfield, NJ
Boston, MA
Boulder, CO
Brick Township, NJ
Bridgeport, CN
Brooklyn, OH
Buffalo, NY
Burbank, CA
Burien, WA
Burlington, VT
Cambridge, MA
Capitola, CA
Carol Stream, IL
Chapel Hill, NC
Charleston, SC
Charlottesville, VA
Chevy Chase, MD
Chicago, IL
Chino, CA
Clayton, MO
Cloverdale, CA
Columbus, IN
Corvallis, OR
Cotati, CA
Dayton, OH
Del Mar, CA
Denton, TX
Denver, CO
Des Moines, IA
Dublin, CA
Duluth, MN
Durham, NC
East Point, GA
Easton, CN
Eden Prairie, MN
Edmonds, WA
Elizabeth, NJ
Erie, PA
Eugene, OR
Euless, TX
Fairfield, CN
Fayetteville, AR
Florissant, MO
Fort Wayne, IN
Fremont, CA
Gainesville, FL
Garfield Heights, OH
Gary, IN
Grand Rapids, MI
Greenfield, WI
Hallandale Beach, FL
Hamden, CN
Hamilton, NJ
Hartford, CN
Hayward, CA
Healdsburg, CA
Hemet, CA
Hempstead, NY
Highland Park, IL
Hightstown, NJ
Hilo, HA
Holly Hill, FL
Hollywood, FL
Honolulu, HA
Hope, NJ
Hopewell, NJ
Hurst, TX
Irvine, CA
Issaquah, WA
Ithaca, NY
Kansas City, MO
Kauai, HA
Kearny, NJ
Keene, NH
Key Biscayne, FL
Key West, FL
Kirkland, WA
La Crosse, WI
Lacey, WA
Lake Oswego, OR
Lakewood, CA
Laredo, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Lauderhill, FL
Lawrence, KS
Lexington, KY
Lincoln, NE
Little Rock, AR
Long Beach, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Louisville, KY
Lynnwood, WA
Macon, GA
Madison, WI
Malden, MA
Manchester, NH
Mansfield, CN
Moab, UT
Maplewood, MO
Maui, HA
McKinney, TX
Medford, MA
Miami, FL
Michigan City, IN
Middletown, CN
Middletown, OH
Minneapolis, MN
Miramar, FL
Missoula, MT
Monterey Park, CA
Morgan Hill, CA
Mount Vernon, NY
Nashua, NH
New Haven, CN
New Orleans, LA
New York City, NY
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Newton, MA
Niagara Falls, NY
Norman North, OK
North Little Rock, AR
Novato, CA
Oakland, CA
Olympia, WA
Omaha, NE
Palo Alto, CA
Park City, UT
Pawtucket, RI
Pembroke Pines, FL
Petaluma, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Plainfield, NJ
Plainfield, NJ
Pleasanton, CA
Port St Lucie, FL
Portland, OR
Providence, RI
Racine, WI
Redmond, WA
Renton, WA
Richmond, CA
Robbinsville, NJ
Rochester, NY
Rockville Center, NY
Rohnert Park, CA
Sacramento, CA
Salt Lake City, UT
San Bruno, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Jose, CA
San Leandro, CA
San Luis Obispo, CA
Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Monica, CA
Santa Rosa, CA
Schaumburg, IL
Schenectady, NY
Seattle, WA
Sebastopol, CA
Somerville, MA
Sonoma, CA
Southfield, MI
St Louis, MO
St Paul, MN
Stamford, CN
Stockton, CA
Sumter, SC
Sunnyvale, CA
Sunrise, FL
Sunset Hills, MO
Tacoma, WA
Tallahassee, FL
Tamarack, FL
Telluride, CO
Thousand Oaks, CA
Toledo, OH
Topeka, KS
University City, MO
Vancouver, WA
Vallejo, CA
Virginia Beach, VA
Warwick, RI
Washburn, WI
Washington DC
Waukegan, IL
Wauwatosa, WI
West Allis, WI
West Hollywood, CA
West Palm Beach, FL
Westfield, NJ
White Plains, NY
Wilmington, DE
Windsor, CA
Worcester, MA
2007-04-28 03:50:55 · answer #2 · answered by Trevor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases.
The Kyoto Protocol now covers more than 160 countries globally and over 55% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
2007-04-28 02:00:16 · answer #3 · answered by cataplin 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is an agreement under the united nations framework conventions on climate change. it covers more than 160 countries globally and over 55% greenhouse gas emissons. all the countries which are part of the agreement have committed to reducing their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. the objective of this is to stabilize the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. it should be at such a level that it would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
2007-05-01 06:38:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
Its a climate change scam, which tried to get a number of countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The result: Millions of dollars spent in a number of countries and no goals met.
2007-04-28 02:02:53 · answer #5 · answered by Darwin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋