Greenhouse Gas Emission the Greatest Contributor to the Climatic Changes - Case Study Example

Introduction The sun is the main source of energy for which life on earth is dependent on. During the day, one side of the planet is warmed while at night the planet loses heat inform of terrestrial radiation. This cycle is in state of balance, however, with slight variations throughout the year to maintain a proper climatic balance suitable for maintaining an appropriate ecological balance. The earth’s atmosphere contains natural greenhouse gases. Incoming solar radiation passes through these gases to the surfaces of the earth. However, after being scattered or irradiated back from the surface of the earth, part of the outgoing radiation - inform of heat- escapes the planet while the greenhouse gases trap the other remaining portion. Therefore, the amount of energy trapped inside the earth is mainly dependent on the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Nature has its own means of creating a balance in the atmosphere. Thus, the natural greenhouse gas composition has relatively zero effect on climatic conditions of the earth’s surface. However, human activities such burning of fossil fuels, urbanization, industrialization, and structural change in agriculture and forestry, have contributed significantly to the uncontrollable levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Baumann 1-2). As a consequence of the anthropogenic production of greenhouse gases and environmental degradation, climate change and global warming have occurred. Climate change and global warming have been projected to be a threat to survival or existence of all living organisms on the planet. This has prompted human beings formulate mechanism that can be used either to reverse or mitigate the current problem of climate change. One such mechanism that has been structured and adopted by many nations in response to the scientific findings that the earth is getting warmer and may lead to irreversible adverse impacts is the Kyoto Protocol (Baumann 1-5) Kyoto Protocol and its objectives Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that was created to provide a framework for combating the problem climate change and global warming. It aims at stabilizing the level of greenhouse gas, GHG, concentrations in the atmosphere and the prevention of anthropogenic interferences with the climate (UNFCCC 1).Thus, the mission of the Kyoto Protocol is cut down the emission of carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide and ozone gases. The Kyoto Protocol is built on principles, which are organized or labeled in a constitution-like fashion i.e. Articles. These set of articles act as rules and guidelines to the signatory countries. For example, under article 3(1) all the signatory parties are expected, unanimous or individually, ensure that carbon dioxide levels and other gases that are listed in Annex A do not exceed the stated levels (UNFCCC 1). Annex A, there are six greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane, Nitrogen dioxide hydroflourocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride and perflourocarbonds. The human activities such as industrialization and use of fossil fuel or any other anthropogenic cause must be minimized. Therefore, Article 3 requires that the overall emission of greenhouse gases should be at least by 5% below the 1990 level in the period 2008 to 2012 (Grub 149 -53). The protocol works in a rather straightforward way. Members countries who agree to sign up or become part of the protocol are enlisted in a document called annex B. these members are then expected to act according to the requirements of annex A. For law to be declared an international law, it must have a backing of at least 60% of all the countries in the world. As at February 2007, there were 169 countries and the one regional economic integration, EEC, which were ratified as part of the Kyoto Protocol (Grub 147 -49). Although there are still more countries joining year in year out, Kyoto Protocol is still perceived as a semi – international law that bounds only the countries that have signed the treaty (UNFCCC 1). Mechanisms of emission reduction under the Kyoto Protocol All states under the Kyoto Protocol have to device their own mechanism for estimating the quantity of , and eliminating anthropogenic sources of GHG to ensure that they agreed targets of reducing global greenhouse emissions are achieved (Baumann 5-11). Moreover, the eligible states are subjected to have a national registry for the purpose of keeping relevant records and tracking progress made in attaining the objectives of the protocol. This body is expected to be submitting a report on emissions and removal to the secretariat in charge of monitoring the Kyoto Protocol (UNFCCC 1). There are three market based mechanisms that were proposed to help the signatory countries attain their targets of reducing their production of greenhouse gases mainly carbon dioxide gas. These are Emissions Trading, Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation (UNFCCC 1). In addition, the mechanism are flexible, and cost effective for the process of climate change mitigation, encourage nongovernmental initiatives and integration of developing countries in the process of emission reduction, and encouraging use of advanced technology and investment to obtain a sustainable development. Emission trading this is a pollution reduction mechanism in which incentives are awarded to parties that have contributed significantly to the overall reduction of greenhouse gases emission. In this system, a buyer is subjected to pay a pre-stated price for having higher levels of greenhouse gases than the one stipulated under the Kyoto agreement, while the seller is rewarded for maintaining lower levels of emissions than its expected levels under the protocol. This is in accordance to Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol, which set out the provisions or rules for the emission trading (Baumann 7-8). Joint implementation Joint implementation is defined in article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol. In this setup, a signatory country to the Kyoto Protocol is allowed to emission reduction units through conducting and supporting carbon emission projects or removal emission projects such as reforestation and forestation programmes in other countries that are also signatories of the Kyoto Protocol. This allows investee or host country to benefit from investment or technology transfer while implementing or investor state benefits from getting emission point (UNFCCC 1). Clean development mechanism - CDM Under article 12 in the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol, CDM is a method of helping nonmember states to the Kyoto Protocol in achieving sustainable development which are in line with the objectives of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change –UNFCCC. In addition, it is a flexible method for which signatory states in complying with the emission reduction and limitation commitment (Grubb 159). In this system, a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol can implement emission reduction projects mainly in developing countries i.e. an industrialized or developed state in a developing or under developed state in greenhouse gas reduction projects such as investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and fuel witching mechanism (Grubb 159: World Bank 262). As result, these signatory countries are awarded with the salable certified emission credits for which they can use to their advantage. Success of the Kyoto protocol The Kyoto protocol can be considered as one the greatest system to be ever formulated and tabled to combat climate change and its effects. Despite this, it more or less example of a deal that went sour i.e. it is tending inclined towards failure rather than success Climate change is a global problem. Therefore, Kyoto protocol was supposed to be a global programme to address the issue (Baumann, 12). However, the greatest emitters of greenhouse gases, USA and China, and other countries have refused to ratify or have not yet ratified the Kyoto protocol. This has led to increased levels of carbon dioxide by 28% i.e. from 22.85 billion metric tonnes to over 29 billion metric tonnes (Chameides 1). This is likely to cause more problem than the projected solution to climate change. In addition, the populations have increased demanding for manufacturing of more products. For Kyoto, protocol to succeed in such localities with numerous populations, it will mean that any new country will have to undergo a total over haul of major industries or spend a lot of money acquiring new equipment or upgrading the existing ones. In addition, adopting clean energy sources at the household level would require extra expenses. These are factors, which many governments are not ready to support. Thus emission of greenhouse gases will continue. The future after Kyoto protocol is rather oblique. Therefore, if any other initiative directed to reduce the overall climate effects then it has to be inclusive all global players and their interests. China and USA are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases and therefore if any other initiatives are to be implemented, then they ought to be coerced to be members. Conclusion Greenhouse gas emission is the greatest contributor to the climatic changes that are experienced globally. The emission of these gases can be reduced through the adoption of the Kyoto protocol, which mainly provides the framework for combating the problem climate change and global warming. The Kyoto protocol provides a flexible means by which signatory states implement measures of reducing carbon emissions. These methods are joint initiative, emissions trading and clean development mechanism. Even though Kyoto protect has led to sensitization of reducing carbon emission, it is still perceived to be a failed system with an uncertain future. It has failed to attain its intended objective of minimizing the overall levels of greenhouse gases. Works Cited Baumann, Christian. “Kyoto Protocol: Outline the Rationale Behind and the Main Provisions of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change for Both Developed and Less Developed Countries and Assess Critically the Effectiveness of the Treaty.” Munich, Germany: GRIN Verlag, 2010 print Chameides, Bill. Did the Kyoto Protocol Miss the Target? 2009 http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/kyoto Retrieved December 10, 2011 Grubb, Michael. "The Economics of the Kyoto Protocol". World Economics 4 (3), September 2003: 143- 188. From http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/rstaff/grubb/publications/J36.pdf . Retrieved December 10, 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference, UNFCCC “Kyoto Protocol,” 2010, from http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php Retrieved December 10, 2011 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC. “Status of Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol" 2010. http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/status_of_ratification/items/2613.php Retrieved December 10, 2011 World Bank. "World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change.” The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank, Washington DC 2010. From http://econ.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTRESEARCH/EXTWDRS/EXTWDR2010/0,,contentMDK:21969137~menuPK:5287816~pagePK:64167689~piPK:64167673~theSitePK:5287741,00.html Retrieved December 10, 2011 Read More