Kyoto Protocol
International agreementAbout
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement adopted in December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It was designed to complement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by setting legally binding targets for developed countries to cut their emissions. The Protocol entered into force in February 2005 and mandated that industrialized nations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels during the period from 2008 to 2012. Key mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol include emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism, and joint implementation. These mechanisms allowed countries to meet their targets by trading emission credits or investing in projects that reduce emissions in other countries. The Protocol recognized the historical responsibility of developed nations for greenhouse gas emissions and exempted developing countries from binding targets. Although it was a significant step in global climate governance, the Kyoto Protocol was eventually replaced by the Paris Agreement in 2016.
