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Kyoto & Copenhagen

Kyoto & Copenhagen. Aims What are the strategies for dealing with climate change? What are the complexities of a global agreement such as Kyoto protocol and its implications for specific countries.?. Kyoto Protocol

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Kyoto & Copenhagen

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  1. Kyoto & Copenhagen

  2. Aims What are the strategies for dealing with climate change? What are the complexities of a global agreement such as Kyoto protocol and its implications for specific countries.?

  3. Kyoto Protocol The attempt to reach an international settlement on greenhouse gas emissions to follow on from the Kyoto Protocol, which runs out in 2012, is probably the most important single issue within the field of international climate change politics. Many scientists suggest that evidence which has become available more recently ,including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), make action even more urgent. The Protocol was drawn up in Kyoto, Japan in 1997 to implement the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change It finally became international law after several years of debate between leaders, politicians and scientists on 16th February 2005. For the protocol to come fully into force, the pact needed to be ratified by countries accounting for at least 55% of 1990 carbon dioxide emissions. With countries like the US and Australia unwilling to join the pact, the key to ratification came when Russia, which accounted for 17% of 1990 emissions, signed up to the agreement on 5th November 2004. The protocol is officially the first global legally binding contract to reduce greenhouse gases. The road towards a successor to the Kyoto Protocol has been a difficult task involving much disagreement between various countries. Negotiations have already been going on for some time at UN meetings, G8 summits and at a series of meetings of the world’s major economies, organised by the United States. In addition, countries have been setting out their own targets, as well as commenting on each other’s proposals. At the 2008 G8 summit in Tokyo, Japan, leaders agreed a statement on climate change which referred to "the vision" of achieving at least a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Although significant progress has been made reaching a final settlement will undoubtedly be a difficult process. It is now thought that a successor to Kyoto will have to place obligations on developing countries as well as developed ones. Also, getting the US to accept any deal (as well as Japan and Canada) will probably be conditional on the inclusion of developing countries. Their exclusion from emissions obligations under Kyoto was one of the principle reasons for the US’s rejection of the protocol. It was hoped that an agreement would be reached on a successor to Kyoto at the 2009 UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen.

  4. Kyoto Protocol 1997 • P 57-62 Pearson (and much briefer P 55 Oxford) • Exam practice Q a, b, c p 63 Pearson

  5. Greece and Kyoto • http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pdf/policy/greece.pdf • http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/13/41829

  6. Geofile – Climate change post Kyoto

  7. Copenhagen Summit 2009 • The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit, was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 7 December and 18 December. A framework for climate change mitigation beyond 2012 was to be agreed there.[2] • On Friday 18 December, the final day of the conference, international media reported that the climate talks were "in disarray“. Media also reported that in lieu of a summit collapse, solely a "weak political statement" was anticipated at the conclusion of the conference.[ • The Copenhagen Accord was drafted by the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa on December 18, and judged a "meaningful agreement" by the United States government. It was "taken note of", but not "adopted", in a debate of all the participating countries the next day, and it was not passed unanimously. The document recognised that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the present day and that actions should be taken to keep any temperature increases to below 2 °C. The document is not legally binding and does not contain any legally binding commitments for reducing CO2 emissions. • Many countries and non-governmental organisations were opposed to this agreement, but, throughout 2010, 138 countries had either formally signed on to agreement or signaled they would. • Tony Tujan of the IBON Foundation suggests the perceived failure of Copenhagen may prove useful, if it allows people to unravel some of the underlying misconceptions and work towards a new, more holistic view of things. This could help gain the support of developing countries. • Malta's Ambassador for Climate Change, Michael ZammitCutajar, extends this to suggest "the shock has made people more open to dialogue"

  8. http://en.cop15.dk/climate+thoughts

  9. Media report failure at Copenhagen • http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/18/copenhagen-deal

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