Kyoto Protocol
Il protocollo di Kyoto è un trattato per la tutela ambientale pubblicato l’11 dicembre del 1997 nell’omonima città, in occasione della Conferenza delle parti COP3 della convenzione quadro delle Nazioni Unite sui Cambiamenti Climatici (UNFCCC). È stato il primo accordo a prevedere impegni giuridicamente vincolanti per i Paesi contraenti, al fine di limitare e ridurre le emissioni di gas serra.
In order for the treaty to enter into force, however, it needed to be signed by at least 55 nations, and these nations had to account for at least 55 percent of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, the Kyoto Protocol did not enter into force until February 16, 2005, thanks to Russia's ratification.
Currently, 192 countries and one regional economic integration organisation are members of the agreement. These members span the globe, with the exception of the United States of America, which decided not to ratify the agreement despite being responsible for 36.2% of total emissions, and Canada, which withdrew from the agreement in 2013.
Member States' efforts focus on implementing industrial and environmental policies aimed at quantitatively reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their 1990 emission levels.
The first phase of the protocol lasted four years (2008-2012). Industrialised countries committed themselves with this to reduce their annual emissions by 5.2%. Developing countries were exempt from this obligation.
After the negotiations were renewed, targets were set for "Kyoto II," the second commitment period, which runs from 2013 to 2020. This time, other European countries and Australia also participated. During this period, members pledged to reduce their emissions by at least 18 percent below 1990 levels. Specifically, the EU states (along with Iceland) set their reduction target at 20 percent.
To meet the Kyoto Protocol targets, countries can put three different mechanisms in place.
- Joint implementation
This principle is based on Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol, and applies when a developed country creates or finances a greenhouse gas emission reduction project in another country that is also committed to emission reduction targets.
The former can account for the resulting emission reductions for Kyoto target purposes in the form of Emission Reduction Units (ERUs). The host country, on the other hand, cannot credit these units to its reduced emission amounts, thus having to subtract this figure from its total neutralized emissions.
- Emissions trading
This instrument consists of the sale of emission allowances between the signatory countries of the agreement. If one of these reduces its emissions by a much higher percentage than stipulated in the protocol, it may decide to sell the remaining allowances to another country that fails to meet the required reduction targets.
The trading of these allowances cannot, however, take place freely. In fact, emission allowances only concern countries that cooperate on the same emission neutralisation project, approved and made official.
- Clean development mechanism
The third strategy relates to the thirteenth article of the Kyoto Protocol, and allows industrialized and developing signatory countries to be able to initiate or finance projects and programs aimed at reducing the emissions set by the agreement without emission constraints. This tool is intended to incentivize developing countries to invest in sustainability projects and clean technologies, and on the other hand allows them to reduce the cost of meeting the protocol's targets by financing projects where the cost is lower.
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