Kyoto Protocol: Goals, Benefits and Adoption

 Introduction

As Alex (2014) noted, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on the 11^th of December, 1997, but the protocol was not enacted until the 16^th of February, 2005. The purpose of the protocol is to help in combating the adverse effects that climate change has on the environment and reduce global warming in the process. This paper aims to discuss the goals surrounding the protocol, its benefits in stabilizing emissions, and how the initiative has been adopted.

The goals and initiatives outlined in the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is significant because it focuses on governments' voluntary intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which has benefits not previously identified by climate change.It also contains concrete mandates for what countries that have signed it aim to achieve.

The Kyoto Protocol's overall initiative was designed with the goal of encouraging nations to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.Alext (2014) also noted that as of 2009, 197 countries (mostly developed countries) had signed and ratified the protocol.

The main goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce the presence of harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs), which include:

1. Carbon Dioxide
2. Methane
3. Nitrous Oxide
4. Sulphur Hexafluoride

These gases are classified into two groups as below, and both of these groups are being targeted by the protocol:

1. Hydrofluorocarbons
2. Perfluorocarbons

The overall goal of the protocol is to reduce emissions by 5.2% in comparison with 1990 levels (Alex, 2014). This does sound reasonable, especially considering the fact that shipping and international aviation emissions are not included in that percentage.

Kyoto's Contributions to Emissions Stabilization

As noted earlier, the benefit of this protocol when compared with previous approaches is that it is legally binding between the countries involved and mandates each country in terms of the percentage of emissions it needs to reduce, as well as making it flexible for them to adopt any approach to reducing such emission levels.

As a result, it is easy to conclude that, when fully implemented, the Kyoto Protocol will be beneficial in stabilizing the world's emission level because it will:

1. Lead countries should implement initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as these are the primary causes of emissions.
2. Improve the development of innovative energy-saving technologies; enhanced energy-saving technologies ensure emission stabilization because they allow for a sustainable energy environment for both current and future generations.
3. Provide a benchmark for other countries that wish to join in the future. For countries that will join the agreement in the future, the present protocol will serve as a benchmark for their expectations and help assure continuity in reducing emissions.

Adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in Canada

The adoption process for the protocol varies between countries because countries are offered flexibility in order to ensure that they achieve the goals in their best and most preferred ways. In Canada, it is the federal government that has the power to conclude international agreements with foreign nations, but the implementation process is shared between the federal and provincial governments. Since the Kyoto Protocol deals with nature, it is something that falls within the jurisdiction of both the federal and provincial governments.

In order to implement the protocol in Canada, the federal government had to convince the provincial government that it was in their best interests to do so. However, there were some objections from provinces like Alberta, which produces oil from wells and tar sands, and Quebec, which derives the majority of its energy from hydroelectric power. However, these provinces were countered to some extent by polls that show that the majority of Canadians favor the implementation of the protocol in Canada.

Ottawa has shown its commitment to cutting GHGs down to below 6% of 1990 levels by 2012. As of 2001, the level was 18.5% above the 1990 levels. At the time of the country’s ramification, the federal government made the announcement that it intends to meet its Kyoto target of 240 megatonnes (MT) in three stages:

1. Eliminating 80 MT through measures that are already underway,
2. Eliminating 100 MT by new measures, which include 55 MT that are to come from industries such as electrical generation, oil and gas, mining, and pulp and paper production,
3. Eliminating 60 MT from sources that are yet to be determined

Additionally, the government has also raised campaigns that call on Canadians to reduce emissions in their daily lives by 20% through the adoption of public transit and energy from renewable sources. Both Canadians as individuals and provinces have risen in support of the call to reduce emissions through the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol. For instance, in Ontario, the government has established and is undertaking a GHG emission trading scheme. Thus, it is expected that Canada will be able to meet its set Kyoto goals.

Reference

Alex, S. (2014) The Kyoto Protocol Summary Located at: http://www.earthsfriends.com/kyoto-protocol-summary/[Accessed on: December 6, 2014].

Prenhall.com (n.d.). The Kyoto Protocol Available at: http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/418/428941/mcinnes_law_1CE_ch23h.pdf [Accessed on: December 6, 2014].