The Greento Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol

Introduction

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change are a truly global environmental issue because the individual source of emissions – in particular carbon dioxide – is not the crucial component. No matter where the carbon dioxide comes from in the world, it has the same effect on the globe and it all contributes to the same problem. Other climate issues that fall into the same category tend to be at local or regional levels, including acid rain, urban smog and volatile organic compounds. Therefore, for climate change, international cooperation is critical. No single country or even a union of countries can solve it, we need a global solution.

The very first agreement put in place between nations ordering country-by-country

During November 20th to December 11th, the parties to the Kyoto Protocol will be meeting at The Paris Climate Change Conference to establish the next step. The hope is to “achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all nations of the world” (Robinson, 2015).

The protocol is an essential step to raise awareness of the issue, and initiating research, and providing an incentive for development of science and technology to attempt at controlling emissions. A strong commitment is needed globally, and large developed countries and developing countries to develop national plans with a specific emissions reduction target. It does open up new doors, and when these new targets are established, economic equality needs to be taken into account. “The best way for a Kyoto signatory to cut its carbon output has been to suffer a well-timed industrial implosion...” (David, 2009). Global emissions are not a static issue, the world economy will continue to grow, and based on the way things have run in the past, this growth naturally leads to an increase in GHG emissions. Therefore, it is the expected growth in emissions, and reducing that projected growth, largely from developing countries, which will be the most important factor in reducing GHGs over time. With this, as well as international cooperation, reducing GHGs and finding a solution to climate change is