Environmental conservation and protection have been a priority since the mid-20th century. With the advance of the Industrial Revolution, humankind began to discover that its activities were having a serious impact on the planet. This includes not only the exploitation of natural resources but also emissions and waste that damage the atmosphere, soil, and water. This growing awareness has led to the creation of international initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing emissions of polluting gases.
These agreements were designed to curb the amount of gases emitted into the atmosphere by the most industrialized countries, largely responsible for global warming affecting the entire planet. In this article we will answer key questions such as: What is the Kyoto Protocol? What does it seek to achieve? Which countries ratified it and what commitments did they make?
The greenhouse effect and climate change
To understand the objective of the Kyoto Protocol, it is first necessary to understand the negative effects of gas emissions into the atmosphere, primarily the greenhouse effect . This phenomenon consists of the ability of certain gases (such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) to trap heat in the atmosphere, causing an increase in the planet's temperature.
The greenhouse effect is natural and necessary for life on Earth, since without it temperatures would hover around -88 degrees Celsius. However, the problem lies in the excessive increase of this effect due to human activities, especially those stemming from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial practices.
This increase in temperature alters the climatic balance, generating what we know today as climate change , with devastating consequences, such as the melting of the poles, the rise in sea level, extreme droughts, among other phenomena.
The Kyoto Protocol was created with the primary objective of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to mitigate and reverse the effects of climate change. It is one of the most important international instruments in the fight against global warming.
The Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on December 11, 1997, in Kyoto, Japan, and entered into force on February 16, 2005. It is an international agreement that legally binds industrialized countries (listed in Annex I of the Convention) to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The Protocol is part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is considered one of the most important steps in the global fight against climate change.
This protocol established specific commitments for the most developed countries, assuming a special responsibility as the main emitters due to their industrial activities. Through this agreement, the countries committed to reducing their emissions of six gases responsible for the greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
The first commitment period ran from 2008 to 2012. During this time, Annex I countries committed to reduce their emissions by an average of 5.2% compared to 1990 levels.
Objectives of the Kyoto Protocol
The main objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce emissions of the six greenhouse gases (GHGs) identified as accelerating climate change. However, not all countries are required to reduce their emissions to the same degree, leading to the implementation of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
This principle implies that more developed countries and those with economies with high carbon emissions, such as the European Union, Canada and Japan, must make greater reduction commitments, while developing countries have more room to increase their emissions due to the need to improve their economic conditions.
- Levels of reductionSpecific reduction levels were set for certain countries. For example, the European Union was to reduce its emissions by 8%, Japan by 6%, and Russia had to stabilise its levels without increasing them.
- Global objective: Achieve a joint reduction of at least 5.2% in global emissions compared to 1990 levels.
Characteristics of the Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol offered countries different mechanisms to meet emissions reduction targets. These included:
- Carbon sinksCountries can meet their targets by increasing the capacity of so-called carbon sinks, such as forests, to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These sinks can be within the country itself or in other countries.
- Emissions trading: A GHG emissions trading system was created where countries that exceed their reduction targets can sell their surpluses to those that fail to meet their objectives. This system allows flexibility and efficiency in reducing emissions.
- Clean Development MechanismDeveloped countries can carry out projects in developing countries to reduce emissions and thus obtain carbon credits that count towards their own reduction target.
Shortcomings of the Kyoto Protocol
Despite efforts, the Kyoto Protocol has been criticized for not being ambitious enough to prevent catastrophic climate change. Several factors have contributed to its limitations:
- The first period of the protocol (2008-2012) only covered about 30% of global emissions, leaving out large emitters such as the United States, which did not ratify the protocol, and developing countries such as China and India, which were not required to reduce their emissions.
- Although many countries have managed to reduce emissions, in some cases this was due more to the decline of the economy, especially after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, than to the implementation of sustainable policies.
- The protocol did not establish binding sanctions for countries that failed to comply with their commitments, allowing some states to default without serious consequences.
- Global emissions continued to grow overall, largely due to rising emissions in developing and emerging countries that were not required to reduce them.
Despite these shortcomings, the Kyoto Protocol laid the groundwork for more ambitious future agreements, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement, which seeks to involve all countries in reducing emissions.
Looking ahead, reduction targets have become more ambitious. The Protocol was one of the first steps in raising global awareness of the need to act on climate change.