Introduction

It is an international agreement aimed to manage and reduce greenhouse

gases (GHGs) emissions.
It applies to 6 greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
Kyoto
hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride.
Adopted at the third session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) in
Protocol
Kyoto, Japan on 11th December 1997.
It opened for signature from 16th March 1998 to 15th March 1999 at
United Nations Headquarters, New York.
According to Article 22, the Kyoto Protocol is subject to ratification, acceptance, approval or accession
by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or ‘Convention’).
Entered into force on 16th February 2005.
It operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Only members of UNFCCC can become parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
192 countries (191 States and 1 regional economic integration organization) are parties of the Kyoto
Protocol, out of which 84 countries are signatories of it.
India ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2002.
The United States of America never ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
Canada withdrew its ratification in 2012.
It commits industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce GHG emissions in
accordance with agreed individual targets.

Common But Differentiated Responsiblity (CBDR)

It was formalized in the UNFCCC, Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992.
It is based on the relationship between industrialization and climate change.
It acknowledges that all states have a shared obligation to address environmental destruction but denies
equal responsibility of all States with regard to environmental protection.
It recognizes that developed countries are largely responsible for the current high levels of GHGs
emissions in the atmosphere.
Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol sets binding emission reduction targets for 37 industrialized countries,
economies in transition and the European Union.

First Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol

It started in 2008 and ended in 2012.
During this period, the industrialized countries had committed to reduce at least by 5% compared to 1990
levels.
In this context, EU member States pledged to reduce their emissions by 8%.

Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol

On 8th December 2012, the Kyoto Protocol was amended.
Amendments
New commitments for Annex I Parties for the period 2013–20.
 A revised list of GHGs to be reported in the second commitment period.
Amendments to several articles of the Kyoto Protocol that required to be
updated for the second commitment period.
Kyoto
Protocol
During the second commitment period, Parties committed to reduce the
GHG emissions by at least 18% below 1990 levels in the 8-year period
from 2013 to 2020.
Doha Amendment has not yet entered into force as a total of 144
instruments of acceptance are required to enforce it.

Kyoto Mechanisms
Kyoto Protocol established flexible market mechanisms.
It is based on the trade of emissions permits.
Under the Protocol, countries must meet their targets primarily through national measures.
The Protocol also offers an additional means to meet targets by way of three market-based mechanisms:
International Emissions Trading
Clean Development Mechanism
Joint implementation
International Emissions Trading: It allows countries that have emission units to spare—emissions
permitted but not “used”—to sell this excess capacity to countries that are over their targets. Thus, a new
commodity was created in the form of emission reductions or removals. Since carbon dioxide is the
principal GHG, it is referred to as trading in carbon. Carbon is now tracked and traded like any other
commodity. This is known as the “carbon market”.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): This allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-
limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in
developing countries. Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction credits, each equivalent
to 1 ton of carbon dioxide, which can be counted toward meeting Kyoto targets.
Joint Implementation: This allows a country with an emission reduction or limitation commitment under
the Kyoto Protocol to earn emission reduction units from an emission-reduction or emission-removal
project in another Party, each equivalent to 1 ton of carbon dioxide, which can be counted toward
meeting its Kyoto target.

Adaptation Fund
The Protocol is also designed to assist countries in adapting to the adverse effects of climate change.
It facilitates the development and deployment of technologies that can help increase resilience to the
impacts of climate change.
The Adaptation Fund was established to finance adaptation projects and programmes in developing
countries that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
In the first commitment period, the Fund was financed mainly with a share of proceeds
from CDM project activities.
In Doha 2012, for the second commitment period, international emissions trading and
joint implementation would also provide the Adaptation Fund with a 2 per cent share of
proceeds.