United Nations climate talks
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Summit and provides a principles of equity for a multilateral agreement on addressing climate change including the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’. This reflects the rich, industrialised nations’ overwhelming contribution to historical emissions and therefore their responsibility in acting first to bring down their national emissions.
After a number of years of intense negotiations, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11th December 1997 and it the Protocol attempts to implement the principles of the Convention agreement. The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012 and governments are currently negotiating the second commitment period of the Protocol.
These talks are scheduled to be completed in December 2009.
Kyoto comes into force
The Kyoto Protocol came into force on 16th February 2005 after the Russian Parliament ratified the treaty in 2004. Kyoto commits industrialised countries who have ratified it to individual, legally binding targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to and average of 5% from 1990 levels in by 2012.
coming soon?
The negotiations are continuing and the next COP will be held in Poznan, Poland in December 2008.
