The Kyoto Protocol, a landmark international climate agreement, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It was adopted 25 years ago in 1997 and aimed to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would slow the pace of human-induced climate change. The first commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012) covers emissions of six main greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrogen oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur.
The Kyoto Protocol was a response to warnings from the scientific community about the contribution of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) to climate change. It came into force in 2005 and was replaced by the Paris Agreement in 2012. The protocol regulates several fluorinated chemicals that are powerful greenhouse gases, including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
In force since 2005, the Kyoto Protocol called for reducing the emission of six greenhouse gases in 41 countries plus the European Union to 5.2% below 1990. As of now, levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) have reached new levels. The Kyoto Protocol is a crucial first step towards a truly global emission reduction regime that will stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations.
📹 What Is the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol was an international agreement that aimed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases. It was …
What were the main targets of the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, is an international treaty aimed at reducing the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. It was the first addition to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which committed its signatories to develop national programs to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride, affect the energy balance of the global atmosphere and are expected to lead to an overall increase in global average temperature.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988, predicts long-term effects of global warming, including a general rise in sea level, melting glaciers, sea ice, Arctic permafrost, increased extreme climate-related events, and increased risk of extinction for 20 to 30 percent of all plant and animal species.
The Kyoto Protocol committed most of the Annex I signatories to mandatory emission-reduction targets, while other signatories, mostly developing countries, were not required to restrict their emissions.
The protocol provided several means for countries to reach their targets, including natural processes like “sinks” that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which encourages developed countries to invest in less-developed countries, and emissions trading, which allows participating countries to buy and sell emissions rights and place an economic value on greenhouse gas emissions. European countries initiated an emissions-trading market as a mechanism to work toward meeting their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
Countries that failed to meet their emissions targets would be required to make up the difference between their targeted and actual emissions, plus a penalty amount of 30%, in the subsequent commitment period, beginning in 2012. They would also be prevented from engaging in emissions trading until they were judged to be in compliance with the protocol. Emission targets for commitment periods after 2012 were to be established in future protocols.
What gases are targeted by the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, covering six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. It is an extension of the 1992 UNFCCC and is crucial for the environment and ecology perspective in the IAS exam. The protocol is based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, considering socio-economic development of countries and the polluter pays principle. Aspirants must be thorough with the key facts about the Kyoto Protocol, as questions can be asked about it in both prelims and mains exams.
What are the 7 GHG gases according to the Kyoto Protocol?
The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard is a standard that covers the accounting and reporting of seven greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride. It aims to help companies prepare a fair and accurate GHG emissions inventory, simplify the process, provide information for effective emission management strategies, and increase consistency and transparency.
The standard is based on the expertise of over 350 experts from businesses, NGOs, governments, and accounting associations, and has been tested by over 30 companies in nine countries. The standard has been road-tested by over 30 companies.
What is the protocol for greenhouse gases?
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) is a global standard for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions, established in 1990. It covers three scopes: direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, indirect emissions from energy generation, and indirect emissions in the value chain. The GHG Protocol collaborates with governments, industry associations, NGOs, and corporations to provide emission calculation guidelines. Nations and enterprises committed to the Paris Agreement are obligated to reduce their emissions by tracking, disclosing, and mitigating their emissions.
The GHG Protocol has played a crucial role in promoting decarbonisation across public and private sectors by providing a unified framework for emissions management. Organizations looking to source carbon accounting software must ensure they source a decarbonisation platform that aligns with the principles of the GHG Protocol.
What are the 7 GHGs in the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty, applies to seven greenhouse gases listed in Annex A: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride. The treaty has binding targets for the second period and the first period, but not the second.
Which of the following gases are covered by the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol establishes regulatory frameworks for six greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced by human activities: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. These emissions are quantified in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents, which are based on their global warming potential. Notably, however, water vapor is not included within the scope of the protocol.
What are the Kyoto emissions targets?
Kyoto covers 18% of global emissions due to the absence of many major emitters. In the first period of the Protocol, participating countries committed to reducing emissions by an average of 5 below 1990 levels. The EU and its member countries, including the EU-15, committed to an 8-cut for the bloc as a whole. The EU’s reduction was broken down into legally binding national targets (QELRCs) based on the relative wealth of each country under the “burden sharing” agreement included in the Kyoto Protocol’s decision.
What are the 6 GHGs of the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto basket consists of six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Each gas is weighted by its global warming potential and aggregated to give total greenhouse gas emissions in CO2 equivalents. The Kyoto protocol aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change by reducing emissions in CO2 equivalents.
Which gases were originally classified as greenhouse gases by the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement cover seven types of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride. These gases are part of the global response to climate change. The EU is working to significantly reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most well-known greenhouse gas. Other smaller greenhouse gases may have a larger warming effect.
What is the list of GHG in Kyoto Protocol?
The document delineates the accounting and reporting of six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen triflouride, as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol.
What are the 6 GHG under the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto basket consists of six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Each gas is weighted by its global warming potential and aggregated to give total greenhouse gas emissions in CO2 equivalents. The Kyoto protocol aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change by reducing emissions in CO2 equivalents.
📹 “I can’t see my family die like this”: The Kyoto Protocol’s impact 25 years on
Twenty-five years after it was adopted, the so-called Kyoto Protocol has clearly proven to be a significant step toward greater …
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