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Kyoto Protocol on climate change

The Kyoto Protocol, which follows the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change, is one of the chief instruments for tackling climate change. It contains the

undertakings entered into by the industrialised countries to reduce their emissions of certain

greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming. The total emissions of the

developed countries are to be reduced by at least 5% over the period 2008-2012 comparedwith 1990 levels.

ACT

Council Decision 2002/358/EC of 25 April 2002 concerning the approval, on behalf of the

European Community, of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention

on Climate Change and the joint fulfilment of commitments thereunder.

SUMMARY

On 4 February 1991 the Council authorised the Commission to participate on behalf of the

European Community in the negotiation of a United Nations framework convention onclimate change, which was adopted in New York on 9 May 1992. The European Community

ratified the Framework Convention by Decision 94/69/EC of 15 December 1993. The

Framework Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994.

The Framework Convention made a large contribution towards the establishment of key principles of the international fight against climate change. In particular, it defines the

principle of "common but differentiated responsibility". It also helped to make people the

world over more aware of the problems linked to climate change. However, the Convention

does not contain commitments in figures, detailed on a country by country basis, in terms of

reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

At the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Berlin in March 1995, the Parties to

the Convention decided to negotiate a Protocol containing measures to reduce emissions for

the period beyond 2000 in the industrialised countries. After much work, the Kyoto Protocol

was adopted on 11 December 1997 in Kyoto.

The European Community signed the Protocol on 29 April 1998. In December 2001 the

Laeken European Council confirmed that the Union wanted to see the Kyoto Protocol enterinto force ahead of the Johannesburg world summit on sustainable development (26 August

4 September 2002). To that end, this Decision approved the Protocol on behalf of the

Community. The Member States were to coordinate their action to deposit their instruments

of ratification at the same time as the Community, and as far as possible by 1 June 2002.

Annex II to the Decision sets out the commitments to limit and reduce emissions agreed by

the Community and its Member States for the initial commitment period (2008 to 2012).

The contents of the Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol tackles emissions ofsix greenhouse gases:

y carbon dioxide (CO2);y methane (CH4);

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y nitrous oxide (N2O);y hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);y perfluorocarbons (PFCs);y sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

It represents an important step forward in the effort to tackle global warming as it includes

binding, quantified objectives for limiting and reducing greenhouse gases.

Overall, the Parties to Annex I to the Framework Convention (i.e. the industrialised

countries) undertake collectively to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, to reduce the

total emissions of the developed countries by at least 5% below 1990 levels, during the

period 2008 to 2012. Annex B to the Protocol contains the quantified commitments given by

the Parties.

The States which were members of the EU before 2004 must collectively reduce their

greenhouse gas emissions by 8% between 2008 and 2012 . Member States which joined the

EU after that date undertake to reduce their emissions by 8%, with the exception of Polandand Hungary (6%), and Malta and Cyprus, which are not listed in Annex I to the Framework

Convention.

For the period up to 2008, the Parties undertake to make demonstrable progress in achievingtheir commitments by no later than 2005.

Parties who so wish, may make 1995 a reference year for emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF 6.

The Protocol suggests various means of attaining these objectives:

y stepping up or introducing national policies to reduce emissions (greater energyefficiency, promotion of sustainable forms of agriculture, development of renewable

energy sources, etc.);

y cooperation with the other Contracting Parties (exchanges of experience orinformation, coordination of national policies through emission permits, joint

implementation and a clean development mechanism).

No later than one year prior to the start of the first commitment period, each Party must have

set up a national system of the estimation of emissions of human origin and removals by

sinks of all greenhouse gases (not controlled by the Montreal Protocol).

Commitments will be reviewed by 2005 at the latest, for the second commitment period.

On 31 May 2002, the European Union ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Following its ratification

by Russia, the Protocol entered into force on 16 February 2005. Several industrialised

countries have refused to ratify the Protocol, including the United States and Australia.

REFERENCES

ActEntry into

force

Deadline for transposition in the

Member StatesOfficial Journal

Decision

2002/358/EC2.5.2002 -

OJ L 130 of

15.5.2002

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RELATED ACTS

Proposal for a Council Decision of 17 October 2006 establishing the proposal to be

adopted on behalf of the European Community with regard to a proposal for

amendment of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change [COM(2006) 602 final - Not published in the Official Journal].

The Commission proposes that the Community should not support the adoption of theamendment to the Kyoto Protocol proposed by Belarus, because that amendment, in itscurrent form, does not ensure the environmental integrity of the Protocol.

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament europen and the Council -

Progress towards achieving the Kyoto objectives (required under Article 5 of Decision

280/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning a mechanism

for monitoring Community greenhouse gas emissions and for implementing the Kyoto

Protocol) [COM(2009) 630 final Not published in the Official Journal].

The Report notes that the countries of the European Union have fulfilled the objectives set by

the Kyoto Protocol. Their greenhouse gas emissions have reduced by 12.5% compared with1990 (reference year), while their economic growth has continued.

During the period from 1990 to 2007, the Commission reports a reduction in emissions of:

y 7% in the energy sector;y 11% in relation of industrial processes (production of adipic acid, halocarbons and

sulphur hexafluoride);y 11% in the agricultural sector (declining cattle numbers and decreasing use of mineral

fertiliser and manure);

y 39% in the waste sector (methane emissions from managed wastefills).However, the Commission notes a 24% increase in emissions in the transport sector.

The Kyoto objectives have been served by the introduction of the European Climate Change

Programme (ECCP) and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).The European Union has a adopted a new strategy on climate change. New measures have

been adopted in the field of climate and energy, concerning:

y improving the EU ETS;y reducing emissions in sectors not covered by the EU ETS;y the field of renewable energy;y carbon capture and storage, following the adoption of Directive 2009/31/EC;y carbone missions from cars;y fuel quality.

Other measures have contributed towards reducing emissions, in particular the adoption of

Directive 2008/101/EC on the aviation sector and Directive 2009/33/EC on road transport.Additional measures will be needed in order to achieve a reduction of at least 20% in

greenhouse emissions in the EU.

Commission Communication of 15 December 2005 Report on demonstrable progressunder the Kyoto Protocol [COM(2005) 615 final Not published in the Official

Journal]. This Report states that, although the Kyoto Protocol only recently entered into force, the

European Union has made significant progress in fulfilling its commitments. In particular,

this progress is due to the implementation of the European Climate Change Programme, as

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well as measures specific to certain sectors (transport, industry, energy, etc.) and additional

domestic measures. The Kyoto target of reducing emissions by 8% can be met if Member

States implement additional domestic measures and use flexible mechanisms. This Report,

which is based on information communicated to the Commission in June 2005, is required byArticle 5(3) of Decision 280/2004/EC.

Commission Communication of 9 February 2005 Winning the battle against global climatechange [COM(2005) 35 final - Official Journal C 125 of 21.05.2005].

Decision 280/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004

concerning a mechanism for monitoring Community greenhouse gas emissions and for

implementing the Kyoto Protocol [Official Journal L 49 of 19.02.2004].

Communication of 19 May 1999 from the Commission to the Council and the European

Parliament: preparing for implementation of the Kyoto Protocol [COM(1999) 230 final Not

published in the Official Journal].

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, of 3 June

1998: climate change, towards an EU post-Kyoto strategy [COM(1998) 353 final Notpublished in the Official Journal].

Council Decision 94/69/EC of 15 December 1993 concerning the conclusion of the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [Official Journal L 33 of 07.02.1994].

Last updated: 14.06.2010