The Kyoto protocol is a step ahead in the worlds to resolve the problem of human induced climate change which could destroy the havoc on the millions of the people.
The Kyoto protocol is the first legal instrument which promises to implement United Nations framework convention on climate change collectively. It attributes quantified legal bindings to reduce green house gas emissions.
Differentiated Obligations Integrated In the Kyoto Protocol
The said treaties demarcated differentiated bindings for the developed countries to reduce green house gas emissions. For example the instruments states responsibility to reduce six main green house gases emission which is said to reduce 5% within the commitment period of 2008 to 2012. At the same it created differentiated obligations by drawing out the following goals like as, the Switzerland have to 8%, EU and middle and east European states the same of 8%, USA 7%, Canada, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Russia, Ukraine 6%.on the other hand Australia, New Zealand, Iceland and Norway can have a small increase in their emissions in this aforesaid period.
Justification
The three flexible mechanisms which included in the Kyoto Protocol are designed to help Annex I countries with legally binding GHG reduction commitments achieve their required GHG abatement targets.
And It encourages countries not included in Annex I to implement programs and strategies to abate GHG’s.
Article 3(3) of the protocol states that the protocol changes in green house gas emissions by biological sources and sinks which shall be used by the developed countries, though these sources are limited to afforestation, reforestation and deforestation took place since 1990.
At the same in article 3(4) mentioned that the developed country may use additional land for forestry and other activities to meet their emission reduction target for carbon absorption within their commitment period.
The current status of the emissions trading mechanism and its effectiveness in achieving is only accounting approach and considers sinks only and not consider calculation base line of 1990.
Article 3(7) permits to change states obligation on the basis of the GHS emission in 1990
In an study by the German advisory council for global change found the present approach is just to an incentive approach towards negative impact impacts upon climate protection, biodiversity conservation and soil protection.
From analyzing the current status of the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol are not adequately defined afforestation, reforestation and deforestation precisely.
Moreover at present argued that the article 3(3) does not define precisely which carbon stocks or changes in stocks should be included in the calculation of sinks.
In article 5, 7 and 8 states that the developed countries must have national system for estimation of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removal by sink of all green house gases
In article 18 laid down that the parties will set up appropriate and effective procedures and mechanisms to determine and addresses cases of noncompliance with the protocol with an indicative of development consequences considering the causes, type , degree and frequency of non compliance.
Emission trading and the carbon market are still in its immaturity stages, with a lot of room left for improvement and development in the coming years ahead. At present, the current global economic depression has also seen the carbon market slow Clean Development Mechanism.
From analyzing the current status of the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol, it has been shown that the flexible mechanisms are still in their infancy stages and will require more time and changes in the system in order to mature into an efficient method of encouraging the abatement of GHGs at the lowest possible cost. This would yield the benefits of encouraging the abatement of GHGs across the globe by providing low emitters with a financial incentive to do so and will also encourage the implementation and adoption of cleaner and more sustainable technologies.
