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Abstract: The development and modernization of has increased by 40% after industrialization began and is
todays world have made life easier but has come at a responsible for 64% of man-made global warming while
certain cost. The individuals and countries are other gases are lower in concentration but has more
working for their betterment and financial motives green house potential relative to CO2. The causes of
having neglected the impact and consequences of green house gases can be attributed to burning coal, oil
environmental degradation to the present and future and gas, rapid deforestation, increasing livestock
generations. This paper presents the root causes of farming, excessive use of inorganic fertilizers containing
climate change, the consequences which are Nitrogen and use of fluorinated gas like hydro
conspicuous in the day to day life and the long term fluorocarbons (HFCs), perflourocarbon (PFCs), sulfur
impacts and the critics. We analyze the measures that hexafluoride (SF6) etc. The observable effects of global
various agencies and group of organizations are climate change are shrinking of glaciers, shift in
taking, its mechanisms, potency and its effectiveness. vegetation and animal ranges, change in rainfall pattern,
Kyoto Protocol, signed in 1992, which commits the melting of ice and accelerated sea level rise. The
countries to reduce the Green House Gas emissions, is increasing effects was a concern hence
studied along with its mechanisms and efficacy. Also, environmentalists, agencies and concerned nationals felt
the modification to the protocol or new strategies is the need of governing body to commit nations and
suggested for effective implementation of Kyoto impose obligations to reduction of green house gas
Protocol by assessing its loopholes and shortcomings. emissions. United Nations Framework Convention on
The ways for creating a sustainable environment and Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in the year
conservation of earths nature are briefly presented. 1992 which addressed climate change as an international
concern for the first time at an international level. The
Keywords: Global climate change, Kyoto Protocol, necessity of a protocol, an international agreement with
Kyoto mechanism, Carbon Trading, Greenhouse strict GHG emission reduction demands was felt and in
Effects. 1997, the UNFCCC meeting held at Kyoto, Japan passed
Kyoto Protocol which was adopted unanimously.
I. Introduction:
II. Climate Change:
Human activities have increasingly influenced the innate
nature of the earth. Last hundred years have changed the The Earths climate has experienced change throughout
way people live their life with the great technological the history Most of the changes can be attributed to small
invention. Extraction and burning of fossil fuels, cutting variations in Earths orbit and the amount of solar
down forests, excavation of earths geological surface for radiation it receives. Last 7000 years marks the
rocks, stones and natural gas, farming of livestock, beginning of modern climate era and human civilization.
building of skyscrapers and many other human activities The current trend of earths global average temperature
are a major contributor to these developments. These varies significantly to the trend it follows; the current
activities have changed the environment in the ways like global average temperature is 0.85C higher than it was
the constituent of the air that we breathe in, the natural in the late 19th century while each of past decades is
vegetation and ecosystem, earths temperature and the getting warmer [1]].
creation of new breeds of diseases like cancer. The
alteration in the environment is obvious to the older
people as things were different 50 years back. The
modernization has greatly affected the climate and
earths temperature and the study of this change referred
to as climate change has been a subject of great debate
between scholars, environmentalists, government bodies
and international organizations. Green House Gas (GHG)
exhibit phenomenon known as Green House Effect and
are major contributor to global warming. Carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane, nitrous oxides, fluorinated gases are
major green house gases which get accumulated in the
environment and remain for centuries. CO2 concentration Figure 1 Temperature anomaly from 1890 to 2010 [2]
The image and information about our planet on a global coastal area are being displaced from their home because
scale provided by the earth orbiting satellites reveal the of rise in sea level, the melting of the glaciers and
signs of changing climate. Climate scientists suggest Antarctic ice hasas greatly affected the ecosystem and
human activities are the main in cause of the warming resulted into draught and loss of water supply.
observed since middle of the 20th century but it has some
critics to this. A general section of people still argue
argues that
global warming is a natural phenomenon in the longer
cycle of the earth and human activities are not the
principal cause, and the formation and increase of water
vapors in thee earths atmosphere contribute significantly
to the climate change. An increase of 2C is seen by
scientists as threshold beyond which there is much higher
risk of catastrophic changes in the global environment.
The article 6 of the Protocol defines JI which is one The Kyoto Protocol is an important step towards
of the innovative project based mechanisms which effective climate change mitigation and it has introduced
provides the platform for two Annex I parties to work many features such as Carbon Trading, Clean
together to achieve their emission reduction target. The Development Mechanisms, etc there are weaknesses and
countries enables collaborative projects between two loopholes in this mechanisms which are discussed.
Annex I countries to be implemented jointly to achieve
co-operative emissions reducing activities to be put on CDM allows the countries that have greater
practice. JI activities are additional to what national financial power to increase their emissions by
measures have been already taken, and this innovative paying the financially weaker country. The Protocol
mechanisms encourages the exploration of possibilities doesnt set any restrictions to lower the emission
of more efficient technologies, opportunities for level by implementing national measures and the
improving efficiency and establishing the infrastructures countries can pay to pollute.
for clean and green energy. The project includes Kyoto Protocol doesnt consider the emissions
exploration of alternative fuels, improvement in based on International Aviation and Shipping which
automobiles emission, reduction of methane emissions constitutes about 5 to 10 percent of GHG emission
and provisions for the inclusion of land use, land use [9].
change and forestry activities (LULUCF) in determining The base year 1990 is not agreeable for all parties as
carbon mitigation efforts. different countries had different achievements in
energy. Russia and European countries were at their
B. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) worst level of emissions while Japans emission
level was better.
CDM is the implementation of joint collaboration The powerhouse of world economy such as USA
between an industrialized nation which has certain and Canada has not ratified the protocol and has
emission standards to met with a developing country denounced the protocol respectively because there
which has no commitment. The Article 12 of Kyoto
are no binding targets for developing countries
Protocol defines the purpose of CDM. The Annex I
which contain almost 80 percent of population.
country buys Carbon credit with the non-annex country
Economists debate that Kyoto protocol emerged
to achieve its emission target but doesnt financially
from more of a political agenda that clear cost to
reward the non-annex country. The Carbon credit is paid
benefit analysis.
through help in technologies like wind power generation,
The Russian scientists challenge that climate change
renewable energy and clean energy technology with
is a natural process and water vapors are the most
Certified Emission Reduction Units (CER). The protocol
potent factor in GHE and there is no proof to the
also specifies that a share of all proceeds from CDM
theory that CO2 is mainly responsible for
projects should be allocated to offering financial help to
undergoing climate change.
developing countries vulnerable to the adverse effects of
LULUCF program which is aimed to increase
climate change. The major difference between JI and
reduce conversion of forest to agricultural use, and
CDM being that CDM projects is carried out between a
provide more natural sink for carbon dioxide
country that has certain emission reduction obligation
sequestration. It is highly controversial as
and a country that has no obligations [8].
biospheric carbon sequestration is not comparable to
C. Emissions Trading (EI) reducing increasing direct emissions and long term
survival of biological sink cannot be guaranteed
A country that doesnt meet the emission restriction set [10].
by the Kyoto can purchase Carbon units and credit them
to its own emission reduction. This is the most popular
mechanism which enables emission trading between V. Suggestions/ Future scenario:
developed countries. Each country is assigned emission
units to fulfill, each country may choose to use up its Transformation of Kyoto Protocol to a superior
entire allocation or achieve greater reduction units agreement and more effective in dealing with cost
compared to its set target. The country which achieves a uncertainty is required. Dynamic targets can be set
greater reduction can sell surplus emission units in terms for countries based on their actual economic growth.
of CO2 equivalence or Carbon Units. The price is Pizer (2002) suggests introduction of price caps into
determined by the market as the highest bidder can buy the international trading regime. With the price cap,
the license in the international market. emission reduction needed to achieve the
commitment would be undertaken as long the
marginal cost of the reduction is lower than some
agreed price [11]. Non-binding targets for
developing countries is also an attractive option. EPA. [Online]. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-
The targets would provide an incentive for emission greenhouse-gas-emissions-data
reduction and sales could occur if actual emissions [4] U.S GHG Inventory, Inventory of U.S Greenhouse Gas
are less than the targets. The non-binding targets Emissions and Sinks and the Greenhouse Gas Reporting
might be fixed or dynamic, country wide. Dynamic Program, 2012.
targets would offer developing countries a greater [5] UNFCCC. UNFCCC. [Online].
chance to participate in international emission. The http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/background/items/2879.php
system of per capita emission rather than emission [6] Shindell and Faluvegi, , 2009.
as a percentage of a base year is more scientific and
encourages the developed countries to be more
responsible towards reducing emissions at domestic [7] Princiotta, , 2009.
level rather than on carbon trading mechanisms.
[8] natural conservation, building and nuclear safety Federal
Identifying specific policy requirements for ministry for the environment. (2017) [Online].
individual countries may be better choice than http://www.bmub.bund.de/en/topics/climate-
emission commitments. The policies and reforms energy/climate/international-climate-policy/kyoto-
according to the national circumstances assure a protocol/kyoto-mechanisms/#c48575
win-win situation for both developing and [9] Gregory Gould, David Greene David McCollum, "GHG
developed countries. Developing countries can be Emissions from Aviation and Marine Transportation;
attracted towards policy commitments to providing Mitigation Potential and Policies," PWE Center Global
international financing for cost-effective emission Climate Change, 2009.
reduction. [10] Mahesh Arora. Critical Analysis of Kyoto Protocol.
Nordhaus [2002] proposes Carbon tax as alternative [Online]. http://www.omabc.com/united-
nations/conventions/kyoto/critical-analysis-kyoto-protocol/
to Kyoto framework especially under the form of
fitting domestic taxes [12]. Though the taxing [11] Pizer, "2002".
process domestically and at international level is a [12] Nordhaus, "2002".
difficult process, this process can be considered an [13] Cedric Philibert, "Lessons from the Kyoto Protocol:
alternative in any future international strategy. Implications for the Future," International review for
The major industrial powerhouses like USA and Environmental Studies, 2004.
Canada have to be persuaded to ratify the Kyoto [14] Igor Shislov roman Morel, "EX-POST EVALUATION OF
protocol as otherwise it can lead to withdrawal of THE KYOTO PROTOCOL: FOUR KEY LESSONS FOR
many other countries from the protocol. THE 2015 PARIS AGREEMENT," Research on economics
of climate change, 2014.
[15] James J. McCarthy, Climate change 2001: Impacts,
adaptation and vulnerability, Osvaldo F. Canziani, Ed.:
VI. Conclusion Cambridge University Press, 2001.
[16] Penny Lambert, "A critical analysis of the Kyoto Protocol
The consequences of climate change are obvious as the using Monte Carlo Simulation," The plymouth Student
melting of arctic ice and land ice is increasing day by day Scientist, 2012.
and rising of sea-level. The major causes of climate [17] INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE
change, its impacts and consequences, global warming CHANGE, "Climate change 2007: The physical Science
by green house gases has been properly analyzed in this Basis," 2007.
paper. Reduction in the emission of GHG is important to [18] JUAN MANUEL SABIO MORCHIO, "A CRITICAL
provide a natural balance to the atmosphere and the ANALYSIS OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOLS SECOND
COMMITMENT PERIOD," , 2013.
measures and restriction applied by laws and protocol to
different countries to achieve their reduction target seems
scientific. The Kyoto Protocol which is first of its kind to
impose restriction in emission has been already effective
to some extent although it has many loopholes and critics
to it. The modification of the protocol is suggested in this
paper. The modification and revision of the protocol is
necessary for global participation to achieve the emission
reduction targets.
References
[1] European Commission. (2017) [Online]. ec.europa.eu
[2] NASA. (2017) NASA. [Online]. https://climate.nasa.gov/
[3] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2017)