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Kyoto Treaty

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Kyoto Treaty
Paper #2

The Kyoto Protocol was agreed to in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005. It established an international treaty intended to bring countries together to reduce global warming and to cope with effects of temperature increases. 186 of 192 industrialized and developing countries have ratified the agreement to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% compared to a 1990 baseline. The provision of the Kyoto Protocol is that is sets specific, binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and European Union, but excludes developing countries. The gases regulated include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. These targets include six major greenhouse gases, often referred to as the “Kyoto Six”. “Internationally, these emissions reductions are accomplished through three flexible mechanisms: International emissions trading, Clean development mechanism, and Joint implementation. Nationally, to meet their targets or to generate credits that can be traded, most ratifying nations would have to combine several strategies, some which include, placing restrictions on their biggest emitters, manage transportation to slow or reduce emissions from automobiles, trucks, airplanes, and vessels, and lastly make better use of renewable energy sources (solar power, wind power, and biodiesel in place of fossil fuels)” (International context and Emerging Initiatives). The United States was expected to reduce emissions to 7% below its 1990 levels, the European Union nations 8%, and Canada and Japan 6% by 2012. The British Labour Party however, in 1997 boldly committed to cut British greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2010. This is significantly more than the 12.5% required by the Kyoto treaty. The Labour Party made this decision under the leadership of Tony Blair

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