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Mrunal[ClimateChange]KyotoProtocol,CarbonTrading,CopenhagenAccord:Meaning,ExplainedMrunal

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[ClimateChange]KyotoProtocol,CarbonTrading,CopenhagenAccord:
Meaning,Explained
PostedByMrunalOn23/09/2012@11:08pmInEnvironment|91Comments

WhatisRioSummit/EarthSummit?
WhatistheUNFCCC?
WhatisConferenceoftheParties(COP)?
WhatisKyotoProtocol?
Whatiscommonbutdifferentiatedresponsibilities?
Annex
Kyotoprotocol:Howdoesitactuallywork?
#1EmissionsTrading/CarbonTrading
#2CleanDevelopmentMechanism(CDM)
#3JointImplementation(JI)
WhyUSAdidnotratifyKyotoProtocol?
CanadaQuitsKyotoprotocol
WhatistheCopenhagenAccord?
ImportantPlayersinclimatechange
UnitedStates
BASICCountries
EuropeanUnion(EU)
AllianceofSmallIslandState(AOSIS)
WhatisRioSummit/EarthSummit?
ItwasaUnitednationssummit,heldinRiodeJaneiro(Brazil)in1992.
ItledtocreationofUnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimateChange(UNFCCC)
WhatistheUNFCCC?
UnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimateChange(UNFCCC)
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CreatedbecauseoftheRioSummit/EarthSummitof1992.
Itisaninternationaltreatyforreducinggreenhousegasemissions.
NearlyeverycountryonEarthisapartytotheUNFCCC.
WhatisConferenceoftheParties(COP)?
Thenations,whovesignedUNFCCCconvention,meeteveryyeartodiscussclimatechangestrategy.
ThesemeetingsarecalledConferenceoftheParties(COP)
ThefirstCOP(COP1)washeldinBerlin.
ThirdCOP(COP3)heldinKyoto,Japan.ItwasherethefamousKyotoProtocolcameintoexistence.
2011:COPheldinDurban,S.Africa.
2012:COPwillbeheldinDoha,QatarinNovember2012(soitbecomesimportanttopicfornextprelims!)
WhatisKyotoProtocol?
1997:thirdmeetingofUNFCCnation(alsoknownasConferenceofParties/COP3),
InthismeetingKyotoProtocolwascreated.
KyotoprotocolwantstheIndustrialisednationstoreducetheirgreenhousegasemissionbyaround5.2%by2012.(measured
against1990levels)
BeforedwellingmuchintoKyoto,someimportantterms.
Whatiscommonbutdifferentiatedresponsibilities?
ThedevelopedcountriessuchasUS,UKhavealreadypollutedtheatmospherewithgreenhousegases(GHGs)through
industrialization.Sotheyretheonewhocreated/startedglobalwarmingandallthemess.
WhileDevelopingcountries(IndiaandBrazil)havestartedpollutingtheworldonlyrecently.
Therefore,thedevelopingcountriessuchasIndia,Brazilshouldsharelessoftheburdenofloweringoverallemissions.
AndDevelopedcountries(US,UK)shouldbearmoreresponsibilityinfixingthisglobalwarmingmessetc.becausetheyretheone
moreresponsibleforit.
So,whileitistheCommonresponsibilityofeverynationofthisworld,toreduceGreenhousegasemission,butthereshouldbe
somedifferencebetweentheresponsibilitygiventodevelopedcountriesanddevelopingcountries.
KyotoProtocolfollowsthatprincipleandassignsseparateresponsibilitiestothecountries.

Annex
Annexmeanssomeelaboration/detailgivenattheendofabook/treaty.
Annex
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What?
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AnnexI Listofindustrializedcountriesandeconomiesintransition:US,France,Japanetc.
Thesecountrieshadpledgedtoreducetheirgreenhousegasemissionsto1990levelsbytheyear2000.
Annex AsubgroupofAnnex1Countries,theseAnnexIIcountriesarerequiredtogivefinancialassistanceandtechnologytothe
II

developingcountries(nonAnnexcountries).

Non

DevelopingcountrieslikeIndia,Brazil,China.

Annex Theydonothavecompulsorybindingtargetstoreducegreenhousegasemission,althoughtheyareencouragedtodoit.
Itgivesthelistof6GreenHousegasesthatareresponsibleforthewholeproblem
Carbondioxide(CO2)
Annex Methane(CH4)
Nitrousoxide(N2O)
A
Hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs)
Perfluorocarbons(PFCs)and
Sulphurhexafluoride(SF6)
Annex ThisgivestheAnnexIcountries(Developedcountries)compulsorybindingtargetstoreducegreenhousegasemission.
B

ForexampleUSAisrequiredtocutdownitsemissionby7%

BacktoKyotoProtocol
Ok,sofarwelearnedthat
InEarthSummit,RioDeJanero,Brazil,theyformedatreatycalledUNFCCC
TheUNFCCCgangstersmeetseveryyear,thereisitemsong,gunfiring,consumptionofdesiliquoranddeliberationsonhowtofix
theglobalwarmingproblemandthesemeetingsarecalledConferenceofPartiesCOP.
InthirdsuchCOPmeeting@Kyoto,Japan,theycomeupwithanideaunderwhich
DevelopednationslikeUS,willcompulsorilyreducetheirgreenhousegas(GHG)emissionby2012.
DevelopingnationslikeIndia,shouldreduceGHGemissionbutnotcompulsory.
AlthoughvariouscountriessignedKyotoProtocolin1997,itdidnotcameintoforceimmediately.
KyotoprotocolcameintoforceonlyafterrequirednumberofAnnex1Countriesratifiedit.
Sothiswasachievedonlyin2005.
Thus,Kyotoalthoughsignedin1997,cameintoforcein2005.

Kyotoprotocol:Howdoesitactuallywork?
SupposeAbdul,BhideandChampak(ABC)gotoaGujaratidininghall.Thishallservesonlyfixeddishi.e.1sabji,4roti,daland
rice.AndeachdishcostsRs.50.Ifyouwantmorerotithenyoullhavetopayextra5rupeesperroti.
NowChampakisanoldmansohecannoteatallthe4rotisservedinhisplate.Heeatsonlytworotis.
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Ontheotherhand,AbdulandBhidearequitehungry,sotheywantmore,theytake11rotieachfromChampaksplateandagree
topay55rupeestohim.
Anotherexample:Youknowhowbroadbandinternetbillingworks=thereareplansforexample2GBplanforRs.500Thatmeansas
longasyoudownloadmusic,moviesetc.worthlessthanorequalto2GBthenyoullgetbillofRs.500butifyoudownloadmorefiles
above2GBquota,thencompanywillchargeyouRs.1perMBofextradownload.
Similarly,UnderKyotoProtocol,eachAnnexBcountryisgivenemissiontargetquota(KyotoUnits).
Forexample,fortheyear2009,Australiasallowedquotawas2,957,579,143Kyotounits.(eachunitisequivalentto1tonofcarbon
dioxide)
Now,aslongasAustraliaemitsthatmuchgreenhousegas=noproblem.
Sofirstofall,AustralianGovernmentshoulddoallstepstomakesureitdoesntcrossthatquotaforexample
Makingcompulsoryantipollutionlaws:forexampleaTiremakingcompanywithdailyoutputof200tiresmustnotemitmorethan
200tonnesofgreenhousegasperyear.
Promotingsolarenergy,reducingtaxonsolarcells,windmillequipmentsetc.
Ifafamilybuyssecondcarthenitwillhavetopayhighertax(justlikeChinasonechildpolicybutwithcars!)
ifakidisfoundbunkinghiscollegelectureandloiteringonhismotorbikethenhellbefinedforpollutingtheenvironment.
Butevenafterallthesemeasures,ifAustraliawantstoemitmoregreenhousegas,thenitwillhavetobuyadditionalquotaor
unitsfromanothercountry.KyotoProtocolallowsthreemechanismstodoso

#1EmissionsTrading/CarbonTrading

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SupposetwoAnnexBpartiesareJapanandAustralia.
Japanwasgivenquotaof100units
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AndAustraliawasgivenquotaof200units.
ButAustrialianGovernmentisunabletomaintainthislimitandAustraliaemits210unitsofgreenhousegas,ingivenyear.
Ontheotherside,JapaneseGovernmenttakesverystrongstepstocontrolemissionandhencetheyonlyemit90unitsofGreen
Housegas.Soithasspare10KyotoUnits.
Now,underEmissiontradingsystem,Australiacanbuythis10sparekyotounitsfromJapanandthusremainwithinitslimit.
Inreallifescenario,eachannexBcountrymakeslawgivingfixedquotatothecompanies.
Supposesteelfactorycannotemitmorethan1tonofGreenhousegas
Tirecompanycannotemitmorethan2tonnesofgreenhousegas.
Soiftirecompanyownerbuyssuperfinemachinariesthatproducelessgassohehassomesparecredit/quota(say1ton)
WhileSteelfactoryemitsmorethanitsallowedquota(supposeitwasallowed2tonnesbutemitted3tonnes)
Thenthesteelcompanycanpaythetirecompanyandgetacertificatethatwevepurchase1tonquotafromthisxyztirecompany.
ThisIstheessenceofCarbonTrading.
Herearesomechartstounderstanditbetter.Butthetextinbelowimageishardtoread(becausetheoriginalimageswereinlow
quality).Solution=justholddownCtrlKeyonyourkeyboardandmoveyourmousewheelupwardsanditllzoomtheimage.

#2CleanDevelopmentMechanism(CDM)
SupposeAnnexBcountryAustraliaisgivenemissionquotaof200units,butitemits210unitsofgreenhousegas.
ButAustraliacanfinanceasolarpowerprojectinsomevillageofIndia(NonAnnexordevelopingCountry)andgetcertificatethat
thesolarplantledtoreductionof10unitsofgreenhousegas.Inthisway,Australiawillremaininitsquota/limit.
Similarly,supposeAustralianGovernmenthaspassedalawthatasteelproductioncompanywithoutputof200tonnesofsteelpera
day,mustnotemitmorethan10unitsofgreenhousegasinayear.
Butthiscompanywantstoproducemoresteel,thenitsgreenhousegasemissionhasincreasedto11units.(1moreunitabovethe
quota)
SothiscompanycanalsodosomesolarprojectsinIndia,Braziletc.andgetacertificatethatithasledtoreductionof1unitof
GHGemission.=problemsolved.

#3JointImplementation(JI)
ThisisidenticaltoCDM.
InCDM,AustraliacandogoodprojectinanonAnnexcountry(developingcountry)e.g.India.
InJointImplementation,AustraliacandothegoodprojectinanotherAnnexBcountrye.g.Japantomeetthequota.

WhyUSAdidnotratifyKyotoProtocol?
USPresidentGeorgeWBushrefusedtoratifyKyotoprotocolsayingthatitwould

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