The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change is an international agreement adopted on the third

Conference of Parties (COP 3) in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997. The
major distinction between the Protocol and the Convention is that while
the Convention encouraged industrialized countries to stabilize and
reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions, the Protocol commits them to
do so.
Objective
While the provisions of the United Nation Framework Convention on
Climate Change concern all greenhouse gases that are not covered by the
Montreal Protocol to the United Nations Convention on Protection of the
Ozone Layer from 1987, the Kyoto Protocol focuses on the six gases given
in Annex A of the Protocol, i.e. CO2, CH4, N2O, HFC, PFC and SF6:
The objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce global greenhouse gas
emissions by at least 5% in comparison to the base year of 1990, during
the commitment period from 2008 to 2012. To reach this goal, the Annex
B of the Protocol sets binding targets for each of industrialized countries in
percentage of their base year emission, thus limiting their emissions of six
greenhouse gases, given aggregated in carbon dioxide equivalent
emissions.
It is important to mention that these industrialized countries with a
binding commitment in the Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol are actually
developed countries, listed in Annex I of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
Other Parties to the Convention, developing countries, are not included in
any numerical limitation of the Kyoto Protocol due to the fact that they
were not the main contributors to the greenhouse gas emissions during
the pre-treaty industrialization period and are known as non-Annex I
Parties to the Convention. However, even without target given in
numbers, the developing countries, signing the Kyoto Protocol do share
the common responsibility in reducing emissions.
Principles
Commitments for the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) that are
legally binding for Annex I countries, as well as general commitments for
all Parties;
Implementation preparation of policies and measures for the GHG
emission reduction for Annex I countries in order to meet the objectives of
the Protocol;

Minimizing Impacts on Developing Countries establishing the Adaptation

Fund for climate change for providing financial resources and transfer of
technology by the developed country Parties included in Annex II;
Accounting, Reporting and Review in order to ensure the integrity of the
Protocol.
Compliance establishing the Compliance Committee
compliance with the commitments under the Protocol.

to

enforce