Kyoto Protocol - Negotiating the Protocol
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| Audience/Grade: | College Freshman-Continuing Education |
| Discipline(s): |
Environmental Engineering General Engineering, Engineering Science |
| Special Topic(s): | |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Reference - Article/Document |
| Media Type: |
Unknown |
| Author(s): |
Organization:UNFCCC - Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| Description: | Offical website for the Kyoto Protocol. "The adoption of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994 was a major step forward in tackling the problem of global warming. Yet as greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels continued to rise around the world, it became increasingly evident that only a firm and binding commitment by developed countries to reduce emissions could send a signal strong enough to convince businesses, communities and individuals to act on climate change. Member countries of the UNFCCC therefore began negotiations on a Protocol - an international agreement linked to the existing Treaty, but standing on its own. After two and a half years of intense negotiations, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the third Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 3) in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997. The Protocol shares the objective and institutions of the Convention. The major distinction between the two, however, is that while the Convention encouraged developed countries to stabilize GHG emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so. The detailed rules for its implementation were adopted at COP 7 in Marrakesh in 2001, and are called the “Marrakesh Accords.†Because it will affect virtually all major sectors of the economy, the Kyoto Protocol is considered to be the most far-reaching agreement on environment and sustainable development ever adopted. However, any treaty not only has to be effective in tackling a complicated worldwide problem, it must also be politically acceptable. Most of the world’s countries eventually agreed to the Protocol, but some nations, including the United States and Australia, chose not to ratify it. Following ratification by Russia, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16 February 2005." |
| Rating: |
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| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | global warming climate change Kyoto Protocol sustainability |
| Is Component of: |
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
(h) Understand global, economic, environmental, and societal context |
| Use of Resource: |
Documents the history behind the Kyoto Protocol with many relevant references and updates. |
| Difficulty: |
Medium |
| Interactivity Level: |
Very low |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | November 2007 |
| Platform/Format: |
WWW |
| Cost: |
Free |
| Download URL: | http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
NEEDS
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