The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that commits industrialized nations to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It introduced mechanisms for emissions trading and financing climate projects in developing countries. While it represented progress in addressing climate change, the Kyoto Protocol only bound developed countries to reduce emissions and did not achieve full participation. The Paris Agreement built on the Kyoto Protocol by engaging all countries in setting emissions reduction targets.

1. Kyoto Protocol
Team 1
Aditya Manoj Mathew
Gopika V
Gowri V
Parvathy
Riya A Singh
V Srivathsan

2. Introduction:
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on the 11th of December 1997. Owing to a complex
ratification process, it entered into force on 16 february 2005. Currently there are 192
parties to the protocol.
In short, the Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the United Nations framework Convention on
climate change by committing industrialised countries and economies in transition to limit
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with agreed unique individual targets
for each participant nation. The convention itself only asks those countries to adopt policies
and measures on mitigation and to report on their progress periodically.
The Protocol only binds developed countries and places a heavier burden on them under
the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”.

3. One important element of the Kyoto Protocol was the establishment of flexible market
mechanisms, which are based on the trade of emissions permits. Under the Protocol, countries
must meet their targets primarily through national measures. However, the Protocol also offers
them an additional means to meet their targets by way of three market-based mechanisms:
● International Emissions Trading
● Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
● Joint implementation (JI)
These mechanisms ideally encourage GHG abatement to start where it is most cost-effective,
for example, in the developing world. It does not matter where emissions are reduced, as long
as they are removed from the atmosphere. This has the parallel benefits of stimulating green
investment in developing countries and including the private sector in this endeavour to cut and
hold steady GHG emissions at a safe level. It also makes leap-frogging—that is, the possibility of
skipping the use of older, dirtier technology for newer, cleaner infrastructure and systems, with
obvious longer-term benefits—more economical.

4. The Kyoto Protocol also established a rigorous monitoring, review and verification
system, as well as a compliance system to ensure transparency and hold Parties to
account. Under the Protocol, countries' actual emissions have to be monitored and
precise records have to be kept of the trades carried out.

5. KYOTO PROTOCOL
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets
binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.These reductions amount to an average of five per cent
against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012. It is the next significant protocol
after the Montreal Protocol.
The Kyoto Protocol consists of 28 Articles.
Conference of the Parties serves as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol.

6. Article 2 :It urges the parties included in Annex I of the Protocol to limit or reduce their emission
of greenhouse gases. Encourages the parties to protect and enhance sinks and reservoirs of
greenhouse gases.
Article 3: The Parties included in Annex I shall, individually or jointly, ensure that their aggregate
anthropogenic carbon dioxide equivalent emissions of the greenhouse gases listed in Annex A do not
exceed their assigned amounts, calculated pursuant to their quantified emission limitation and
reduction commitments inscribed in Annex B and in accordance with the provisions of this Article,
with a view to reducing their overall emissions of such gases by at least 5 per cent below 1990 levels
in the commitment period 2008 to 2012.
Article 7:This article requires the parties to submit annual greenhouse gas inventories, as well as
national communications, at regular intervals to demonstrate compliance with the Protocol.
Article 12: It allows the developing countries to earn certified emission-reduction (CER) credits for
emission-reduction projects. Each CER credits is equivalent to one tonne of CO2

7. Compliance scheme
Under the Protocol, countries' actual emissions have to be monitored and precise records
have to be kept of the trades carried out.
Registry systems track and record transactions by Parties under the mechanisms. The UN
Climate Change Secretariat, based in Bonn, Germany, keeps an international transaction log
to verify that transactions are consistent with the rules of the Protocol.
Reporting is done by Parties by way of submitting annual emission inventories and national
reports under the Protocol at regular intervals. (Article 7)
A compliance system ensures that Parties are meeting their commitments and helps them to
meet their commitments if they have problems doing so.

8. Party’s Assigned Amount
The maximum amount of emissions (measured as the equivalent in carbon dioxide) that a
Party may emit over the commitment period in order to comply with its emissions target is
known as a Party's assigned amount. The individual targets for Annex I Parties are listed in
the Kyoto Protocol's Annex B.
Carbon Credits
Countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol participates in Carbon Credit trading. Countries
that emitted less than their target amount of hydrocarbons could sell their surplus credits to
countries that did not achieve its Kyoto level goals.

9. KYOTO PROTOCOL TIMELINE
Dec 11, 1997: The Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the Conference of the Parties in Kyoto, Japan.
● Nov. 14, 1998: As a result of a two-week meeting that concluded on the 14th, 170 governments
adopted a two-year plan titled the Buenos Aires Plan of Action to reduce the risk of global climate
change.27
● March 16, 1998: The Kyoto Protocol becomes open for signatures.
● March 15, 1999: One year after being open for signatures, the Kyoto Protocol had received 84
signatures.
● Feb. 16, 2005: The Kyoto Protocol goes into force.28
● Dec. 8, 2012: The Doha Amendment was adopted for a second commitment period.
● March 25, 2013: Afghanistan becomes the 192nd signatory of the Kyoto Protocol. As of August
2023, there remained 192 signatories.29
● Dec. 12, 2015: The Paris Agreement was adopted by 196 parties at COP21 in Paris, largely
superseding the Kyoto Protocol.
● Nov. 4, 2016: The Paris Agreement went into effect.2
● Dec. 31, 2020: After obtaining acceptance by 147 parties and meeting the minimum threshold of
acceptance requirement, the Doha Amendment was officially adopted.

10. POST-KYOTO DEVELOPMENTS
1. COP 4 (1998) Buenos Aires agreement
Agreement on the completion of detailed structure of Kyoto Protocol. The meeting was chracterized by
the informal discussions on the need for developing countries to commit to reducing green house gas
emission.
1. COP6-2 (2001) Bonn Agreement
The adoption of Bonn agreements on International climate Policy which established the conditions
needed to ratify and implement the Kyoto Protocol. The Bonn agreements were based on Buenos Aires
plan of Action of 1998
1. Marrakesh Accords
The detailed rules for the implementation of the Protocol were adopted at COP 7 in Marrakesh, Morocco,
in 2001, and are referred to as the “Marrakesh Accords.” Adoption of Marrakesh Accords which consisted of
a package of 15 decisions on structuring and implementing the Kyoto Protocol. This included a system for
monitoring compliance, using the Kyoto Mechanisms of carbon sinks credit, and the promotion of climate action
in developing countries. The adoption of the Accords spearheaded the way for the Kyoto Protocol’s entry into
force.

11. 4. COP11 (2005) Montreal Action Plan
Adoption of Montreal Action Plan, a roadmap to a post-2012 international climate regime. The Kyoto Protocol
was fully implemented with its organizational structure strengthened with a robust review regime and
increased funding.
5. COP13 (2007) Bali Action Plan
Adoption of the Bali Action Plan which involved parties’ negotiation on concrete commitments and
contributions to emissions reductions (including a reduction of deforestation), adaptation, technology, and
financing up to and beyond 2012. The present and especially the future of the Kyoto Protocol after 2012 were
at stake at the conference of Bali (Indonesia), 13th Conference of the Parties to the Rio Convention (COP13)
which was held from 3 to 14 December 2007. The main result of the conference is the adoption of a roadmap
that sets up a process of negotiation regime of fight against climate change after 2012.
6. COP 15 (2009) Copenhagen Accord
The Copenhagen conference wore a particular issue that defines a new binding framework designed to
maintain and to strengthen the system established by the Kyoto Protocol.
The Copenhagen Accord which defined some central components of future international climate policy was
drawn up and a “1.5 or 2.0 degrees C” limit emission standard was agreed upon by a large group of
industrialized and developing countries. Also, the industrialized countries pledged up to US $30 billion for
climate action in developing countries from 2010 to 2012. A Technology Mechanism and a REDD+
Mechanism aimed at supporting developing countries in technology programmes and reducing emissions
from deforestation and forest degradation were considered.

12. 7. 2010 Cancun Agreements
With the adoption of the Cancun Agreements, the agreements reached in Copenhagen were turned into
official decisions, developed further and operationalized. These include the official recognition of the two-
degree target, forest conservation (REDD+Mechanism), technological cooperation and capacity-building
in developing countries. Industrialized countries pledged US $100 billion dollars per year by 2020 to
support climate action efforts in developing countries.
8. COP17 (2011) Durban
Agreed to continue the Kyoto Protocol for a second period from the beginning of 2013. The summit also
adopted the Green Climate Fund, aimed at providing financial support for industrializing and developing
countries in their climate action efforts. The ADP established a timeline and set out the motivation,
guidance and process for developing a new international treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol upon its
expiration in 2012.

13. 9. COP18 (2012) Doha
The summit spearheaded more immediate climate initiatives needed to meet the two-degree target as
agreed under the Copenhagen Accord. Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol to reduce green house
gases emissions by at least 18% below 1990s emission levels by 2020 (second commitment phase: 2013–
20).
10. COP19 (2013) Warsaw
Entered into negotiation in advance of the Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015 for a worldwide
climate agreement on issues pertaining to regulations on mitigation, adaptation, financing, technology,
transparency, and capacity-building.
11. COP21 (2015) Paris Agreement
Adoption of the Paris Agreement which aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate
change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below the 2°C and parties to the Conference
agreed to accelerate and intensify actions and investments needed for a sustainable low-carbon future.

14. Climate Finance & The Kyoto Protocol
1. Introduction to Climate Finance:
Climate finance refers to local, national, or transnational financing—sourced from both public and private sectors—
that supports climate change mitigation and adaptation projects and programs. The main objective is to direct
funds towards efforts that will reduce emissions and enhance resilience to climate change impacts.
2. Kyoto Protocol’s Role in Mobilizing Climate Finance:
The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, was one of the first international treaties that recognized the importance of
mobilizing funds to support climate actions. The Protocol introduced several innovative mechanisms to channel
funds and incentivize mitigation efforts:
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): This allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation
commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement emission-reduction projects in developing countries. These
projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, which can be counted towards the meeting
developed country targets. By buying CERs, developed countries indirectly finance green projects in developing
countries.
Adaptation Fund: Established under the Kyoto Protocol, this fund was set up to finance adaptation projects and
programs in developing countries that are Parties to the Protocol. It is financed primarily from a share of proceeds
from CDM project activities.
Joint Implementation (JI): This mechanism allows a country to earn emission reduction units (ERUs) from an
emission-reduction or emission removal project in another country, typically a country with an economy in
transition. It’s a way for countries to meet their Kyoto targets by financing projects that reduce emissions in other
countries

15. Climate Finance & The Kyoto Protocol
3. Importance of Climate Finance in the Kyoto Context:
Climate finance plays a crucial role in the Kyoto Protocol framework for several reasons:
Enabling Action: Many developing nations have the will but not the resources to address climate change. Climate finance
mechanisms under Kyoto enable these nations to take action.
Building Trust: By ensuring that developed nations provide financial support to developing nations, the Protocol fosters a spirit of
trust and cooperation among signatories.
Leveraging Private Capital: Mechanisms like the CDM not only bring in direct investments but also pave the way for larger
inflows of private capital by demonstrating project viability and de-risking investments.
4. Challenges & Criticisms:
While the Kyoto Protocol made significant strides in institutionalizing climate finance, there have been criticisms:
Insufficient Funding: The funds mobilized under the Protocol, especially for adaptation, are often seen as inadequate given the
scale of the challenge.
Bureaucratic Delays: Some mechanisms, particularly the CDM, have faced criticism for being bureaucratic and slow.
Equity Concerns: There's a debate on whether the funds are being allocated equitably among developing nations and whether
the most vulnerable are receiving sufficient support.

16. TREATY EXTENSION AND REPLACEMENT
The Doha Amendment
At the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18), held in Doha, Qatar, in 2012, delegates agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol until 2020.
They also reaffirmed their pledge from COP17, which had been held in Durban, South Africa, in 2011, to create a new, comprehensive,
legally binding climate treaty by 2015 that would require greenhouse-gas-producing countries—including major carbon emitters not
abiding by the Kyoto Protocol (such as China and the United States)—to limit and reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases.
India and the Doha Amendment
Parties to the Kyoto Protocol adopted an amendment to the Protocol by decision in accordance with Articles 20 and 21 of the Protocol,
at the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) held in Doha.
As of 28 October 2020, 147 Parties have deposited their instrument of acceptance, therefore the threshold for entry into force of the
Doha Amendment has been met.
India has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol i.e. meet the emission targets for the time period 2012-2020 in
August 2017. India was the 80th country to accept the amendment.

17. TREATY EXTENSION AND REPLACEMENT
The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate
Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. It entered into force on 4 November 2016.
The Paris Agreement set out to improve upon and replace the Kyoto Protocol
Its overarching goal is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue
efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
However, in recent years, world leaders have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of this century.
That’s because the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that crossing the 1.5°C threshold risks unleashing far
more severe climate change impacts, including more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves and rainfall.
To limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030.
The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all
nations together to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

18. How is Paris Agreement different?
Both treaties were concluded under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with the
objective of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and preventing dangerous human
interference with the climate system.
1. The Kyoto Protocol required only developed countries to reduce emissions, while the Paris Agreement
recognized that climate change is a shared problem and called on all countries to set emissions targets.
2. The Kyoto Protocol did not compel developing countries, including major carbon emitters China and India,
to take action. The United States signed the agreement in 1998 but never ratified it and later withdrew its
signature. The Paris Agreement, which now has 194 Parties, requires all countries to reduce their
emissions. Governments set targets, known as nationally determined contributions, with the goals of
preventing the global average temperature from rising more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and
pursuing efforts to keep temperature rise below 1.5°C.

19. Conclusion
Binding Emission Reduction Targets: The Kyoto Protocol established legally binding emission reduction targets for developed
countries. This set a precedent for international agreements that sought to hold nations accountable for reducing their
greenhouse gas emissions.
Differentiated Responsibilities: The Protocol recognized the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," acknowledging
that developed countries should take the lead in addressing climate change due to their historical contributions to greenhouse
gas emissions and greater capabilities.
Emission Trading and Market Mechanisms: The Protocol introduced market-based mechanisms like emission trading, clean
development mechanism (CDM), and joint implementation (JI). These mechanisms encouraged countries to collaborate and
trade emission allowances to achieve their reduction targets more cost-effectively.
Inclusion of Multiple Greenhouse Gases: The Kyoto Protocol included multiple greenhouse gases (GHGs), not just carbon dioxide
(CO2), in emission reduction targets. This broadened the scope of efforts to combat climate change by addressing gases like
methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.

20. Conclusion
Global Cooperation and Diplomacy: The negotiations and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol demonstrated the need for global
cooperation and diplomacy to effectively combat climate change. It set the stage for subsequent climate agreements and
negotiations, emphasizing the importance of collective action.
Flexible Mechanisms to Encourage Participation: The Kyoto Protocol allowed for flexibility in meeting emission reduction targets
through mechanisms like emissions trading, which encouraged greater participation by providing economic incentives to reduce
emissions.
Challenges of Compliance and Enforcement: The Protocol highlighted challenges in achieving compliance with emission reduction
targets, as some countries struggled to meet their commitments. This underscored the importance of effective monitoring,
reporting, and enforcement mechanisms in international agreements.
Need for Ambitious Targets and Timelines: The Protocol highlighted the necessity of setting ambitious emission reduction targets
and clear timelines to drive collective action and create a sense of urgency in addressing climate change on a global scale.
Integration of Scientific Data and Research: The Kyoto Protocol was informed by scientific research and data regarding climate
change and its impacts. This emphasized the importance of integrating scientific knowledge into policy-making processes to
address complex global challenges.

21. Conclusion
Integration of Climate Adaptation Measures: The Protocol also recognized the need for adaptation measures to address the
impacts of climate change. This shift towards considering both mitigation and adaptation strategies has since become a
fundamental aspect of climate negotiations and agreements.
Public Engagement and Civil Society Involvement: The Kyoto Protocol brought attention to the role of public engagement and civil
society involvement in climate action. It highlighted the importance of raising awareness and involving diverse stakeholders in
discussions and actions related to climate change.
Evolving Global Efforts and Agreements: The experiences and lessons from the Kyoto Protocol have informed subsequent global
climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, which builds upon the Kyoto Protocol's framework while addressing its
shortcomings and incorporating a more inclusive and ambitious approach.

22. Thank you