Kyoto Protocol in the Context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - Essay Example

Kyoto Protocol Introduction Kyoto Protocol is a very pivotal agreement that comes under the purview of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The most pivotal aspect of the Kyoto Protocol is that it stipulates targets for minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to 37 countries that are industrialized.

There is a basic difference between the convention and the Protocol. The former merely motivates the concerned countries to tackle the menace of GHG emissions, while the latter has made the regions give a firm commitment to addressing this issue. (1) The Protocol is fully aware of the fact that, globally, a major chunk of the GHG emissions are attributable to the enhanced commercial and industrial operations of the advanced countries. Hence, it (Protocol) placed a substantial part of the onus of minimizing the emissions, on those countries. (1) The Kyoto Protocol came into effect in the year 2005.

As per the Protocol, the actual emission levels of all the countries in question would be scrupulously monitored. These zones are necessitated to maintain an accurate record of those levels. In addition, the countries have to compulsorily submit the various reports, at regular time intervals. As a matter of fact, the Protocol is also having a system of compliance making sure that all the parties are indeed adhering to the stipulations of the Kyoto Protocol. (1) China and India have also signed the Kyoto Protocol, but these regions are not bound to initiate measures for bringing down the GHG emission levels.

This is so because, both these countries have been categorized as being the developing ones, and they are not found to be major contributors to global greenhouse emissions. (2) China is almost on the verge of going ahead of the US, in terms of the emissions of GHG. But there is a tremendous difference between the population of both the nations (USA and China). Also, most of the industrial activities going on in the Chinese region are directly related to meeting the demand from the advanced Western countries.