The Kyoto Protocol vs. Paris Climate Agreement: An Overview

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges humanity is facing today. The rise in global temperatures, changing weather patterns, and widespread natural disasters are just some of the many effects of this phenomenon. In an effort to combat climate change, the international community has come up with two landmark agreements – the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding international agreement, adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. The main objective of the Kyoto Protocol was to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere by developed countries, responsible for the majority of these emissions, to below the 1990 levels. The Protocol was effective from 2005 to 2012.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries were allotted a certain amount of emissions that they could release into the atmosphere each year. If they exceeded this limit, they were required to purchase emission credits from other countries that had produced less GHG emissions. The Kyoto Protocol focused mainly on reducing CO2 emissions, which is the most prevalent GHG in the atmosphere.

The Paris Climate Agreement

The Paris Agreement, adopted in Paris, France, in 2015, is a non-binding agreement that aims to keep the global temperatures from increasing by more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and ideally below 1.5°C. It includes specific commitments from all signatory countries, including both developed and developing nations.

Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement does not set emission reduction targets for any specific country. Instead, each country is required to submit its own voluntary emission reduction targets, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). These NDCs are reviewed and evaluated every five years to assess the progress made towards the common goals.

Key Differences between Kyoto Protocol and Paris Climate Agreement

Legal Nature

The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement, meaning that countries that ratified it were legally bound to meet their commitments and could be subject to penalties if they failed to do so. The Paris Agreement, on the other hand, is a non-binding agreement, meaning that countries are not legally required to meet their NDCs.

Emission Targets

Under the Kyoto Protocol, emission targets were set only for developed countries, which were responsible for the majority of GHG emissions. The Paris Agreement, however, requires all signatory countries to set their own NDCs, regardless of their level of economic development.

Flexibility

The Kyoto Protocol was criticized for its lack of flexibility, as it set uniform emission reduction targets for all developed countries, regardless of their individual circumstances. The Paris Agreement, on the other hand, allows countries to choose their own NDCs, according to their specific needs and circumstances.

Conclusion

The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement are two landmark agreements that have tried to address the growing issue of climate change. While the Kyoto Protocol focused on setting uniform emission reduction targets for developed countries, the Paris Agreement takes a more flexible approach, allowing each country to set its own emission reduction targets. While both agreements have their own strengths and weaknesses, they signify the global community`s growing concern about the future of our planet and the urgency to take collective action to address it.