The Kyoto Protocol set legally binding individual quantitative targets for greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries. Although the climate change framework treaty, which is the parent treaty of the Kyoto Protocol, does not mandate
greenhouse gas emission targets, it sets a voluntary target of returning emissions to
1990 levels by 2000, which was not achieved. Perhaps because of this, negotiations
for the Kyoto Protocol considered whether the treaty should have legally binding
goals and ultimately agreed that mandates would be required. The Kyoto Protocol
set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5% from 1990 levels by
2008–2012 (first commitment period) for all developed countries. Obligations
were not to be introduced for developing countries, including China and India.
Considering the scientific uncertainties of climate change issues, international
cooperation is essential to achieve emission reduction goals efficiently through the
use of market mechanisms and to provide flexibility to contribute to the sustainable
development of developing countries. “Kyoto mechanisms,” such as emissions
trading, and the clean development mechanism, were introduced.
In 1997 when the Kyoto Protocol was introduced, the world’s largest emitter of
greenhouse gases was the United States (by total annual emissions, per capita
emissions, and cumulative emissions). It eventually withdrew from the Protocol,
stating the following reasons: negative impacts on the US economy, unfairness due
to nonparticipation of developing countries, and uncertainty of climate change. The
United States accounts for approximately one-fourth of global and 40% of developed countries’ CO 2 emissions. The Kyoto Protocol set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries by 5%, but reductions in the United
States reached approximately half that before its withdrawal.
The Kyoto Protocol covers a wide range of issues, including measures to protect
and mitigate the risks of US withdrawal and nonparticipation, “participation” of
developing countries, how to share burdens among countries, policy measures such
as the role of economic instruments, and forms of consensus building. It was
historically significant in providing the first legally binding quantitative targets for
greenhouse gas reduction and introducing flexible Kyoto mechanisms.
3.2.3 Significance and Limitations of the Paris Agreement
Regarding emission reductions from 2013 to 2020 (the second commitment period
of the Kyoto Protocol), each country submitted its 2020 target based on the Cancun
Agreement adopted at COP16, held in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2010. Some
countries, including Japan, did not participate. The international community agreed
on a long-term goal of “keeping the temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius
compared to before industrialization.” However, it was not possible to reduce
emissions to the extent that this target was attainable. Therefore, negotiations
began in 2012 to create an international treaty in which all countries, both developed
and developing, commit to reduction targets after 2020. As a result, COP21 agreed to
the Paris Agreement as an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol in December 2015.
64
W. Zhou
greenhouse gas emission targets, it sets a voluntary target of returning emissions to
1990 levels by 2000, which was not achieved. Perhaps because of this, negotiations
for the Kyoto Protocol considered whether the treaty should have legally binding
goals and ultimately agreed that mandates would be required. The Kyoto Protocol
set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5% from 1990 levels by
2008–2012 (first commitment period) for all developed countries. Obligations
were not to be introduced for developing countries, including China and India.
Considering the scientific uncertainties of climate change issues, international
cooperation is essential to achieve emission reduction goals efficiently through the
use of market mechanisms and to provide flexibility to contribute to the sustainable
development of developing countries. “Kyoto mechanisms,” such as emissions
trading, and the clean development mechanism, were introduced.
In 1997 when the Kyoto Protocol was introduced, the world’s largest emitter of
greenhouse gases was the United States (by total annual emissions, per capita
emissions, and cumulative emissions). It eventually withdrew from the Protocol,
stating the following reasons: negative impacts on the US economy, unfairness due
to nonparticipation of developing countries, and uncertainty of climate change. The
United States accounts for approximately one-fourth of global and 40% of developed countries’ CO 2 emissions. The Kyoto Protocol set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries by 5%, but reductions in the United
States reached approximately half that before its withdrawal.
The Kyoto Protocol covers a wide range of issues, including measures to protect
and mitigate the risks of US withdrawal and nonparticipation, “participation” of
developing countries, how to share burdens among countries, policy measures such
as the role of economic instruments, and forms of consensus building. It was
historically significant in providing the first legally binding quantitative targets for
greenhouse gas reduction and introducing flexible Kyoto mechanisms.
3.2.3 Significance and Limitations of the Paris Agreement
Regarding emission reductions from 2013 to 2020 (the second commitment period
of the Kyoto Protocol), each country submitted its 2020 target based on the Cancun
Agreement adopted at COP16, held in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2010. Some
countries, including Japan, did not participate. The international community agreed
on a long-term goal of “keeping the temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius
compared to before industrialization.” However, it was not possible to reduce
emissions to the extent that this target was attainable. Therefore, negotiations
began in 2012 to create an international treaty in which all countries, both developed
and developing, commit to reduction targets after 2020. As a result, COP21 agreed to
the Paris Agreement as an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol in December 2015.
64
W. Zhou