Kyoto Protocol

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol comes into force on 16 February 2005. It is an international and legally binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, to limit the impact of climate change.

Global climate change has been triggered by human activity, specifically by emissions of greenhouse gases.

Adverse impacts from climate change include summer and winter flood events, sea level rise, droughts, water shortages and loss of habitats and biodiversity.

The world must reduce greenhouse gas releases in order to tackle these impacts. We also need to adapt to the changes that are unavoidable. The Kyoto Protocol is a major international effort to limit climate change by setting targets for nations to cut their emissions. It has now come into force and its emission reduction commitments are international law.

Getting the Protocol agreed and into law has been a complicated and lengthy process. In March 2001, the United States, with 36% of emissions, pulled out  of the process. Russia, with 17.4% of emissions, also took a long time to agree to ratify the Protocol. This put the whole treaty in jeopardy since without either the US or Russia the treaty could not reach the 55% emissions threshold required for entry into force.

After a delay of two years, Russia finally ratified the treaty on 18 November, 2004. The Duma (Russian Parliament) voted 334-73 in favour of the agreement. President Vladimir Putin signed the draft law on 4 November, 2004.

Once Russia had ratified, the 90 day countdown to Kyoto coming into force began, and this is how we get the 16 February date.