The liberal government that signed the accord in 1997 ratified it in parliament in 2002. The government of canada has announced its formal withdrawal from the kyoto protocol. Canada has announced it will withdraw from the kyoto protocol on climate change, the first country to pull out of the treaty. Canadas ability to meet its obligations under kyoto may well have been doomed from the start, or at least dating back to 2001, when its largest trading partner, the united states, failed to ratify the treaty. Kyoto protocols shortcomings the canadian encyclopedia. The united states has never signed up to the protocol over its 14 year history and has received widespread criticism for its reluctance. And the kyoto protocol should not be judged on the. Canada formally withdraws from kyoto protocol update. Canadas ratification of the kyoto protocol in december 2002 cannot be accounted for by political science theories focused exclusively on selfinterest and. The news came as environment minister peter kent prepared for a climate conference in durban, south africa, with delegates from 190 countries seeking a new international agreement for cutting emissions. Therefore, russia has an incentive either to leave the kyoto protocol, or to renegotiate. Richels, epri september 2001 this paper was initially presented at the stanford university energy modeling forum emf meeting on burden sharing and the costs of mitigation, snowmass, colorado, august 6, 2001. From its ratification in 2002 to canadas eventual withdrawal from the agreement in 2011, the kyoto protocol has caused many debates, disagreements and discussion for the country and its citizens.
The kyoto protocol leaves many technical aspects of the kyoto mechanisms. Canada leaving the kyoto protocol is not about achieving an agreement that keeps all polluters accountable, it is about allowing business as usual in canada, said andrea hardendonahue, a climate campaigner at the nongovernmental organisation ngo council of canadians. At its twentyfourth meeting, the enforcement branch requested the secretariat to prepare a background paper on canada s withdrawal from the kyoto protocol and its effects. A comprehensive summary of the kyoto protocol covering must know facts about it is provided below. Canadas withdrawal from the kyoto protocol and its effects on canadas reporting obligations under the protocol note by the secretariat i. Canadas ratification and implementation of the kyoto protocol. This report examines the relevance of the scientific. Canada will formally withdraw from the kyoto protocol on climate change, the first nation to pull out of the treaty, the environment minister has said. Canada will announce next month that it will formally withdraw from the kyoto protocol, reports ctvs roger smith.
The kyoto protocol is an international treaty extending the 1992 united nations framework convention on climate change unfccc which aims to reduce the effects of climate change like global warming. Realism drove canada to shed the handcuffs of the kyoto protocol. It will become the first signatory to pull out in a move that will undermine the worlds most significant. The us and canada, however, signed the deal but did not stick with it. Australia, canada and the kyoto protocol to the framework. In a statement delivered in the canadian house of commons, peter kent, canadian minister for the environment, stated that we are invoking our legal right to formally withdraw from kyoto. Canada became the first country to formally withdraw from the kyoto protocol, saying the pact on cutting carbon emissions was preventing the world from effectively tackling climate change. Environment minister peter kent said canada was invoking the legal. Canada pulls out of kyoto protocol environment the.
Canada, croatia, czech republic, denmark, the european community, estonia. Climate policy, kyoto protocol, united nations framework. In december, canada is expected to sign on to a new climate agreement at cop21 in paris. Canada s kyoto target was a 6% total reduction in greenhouse gas ghg emissions by 2012, compared to 1990 levels of 461 megatonnes mt government of canada gc 1994. Ottawa canada said on monday that it would withdraw from the kyoto protocol, the 1997 treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under that. Why canada decides to withdraw from the kyoto protocol. Although major developed nations had to meet targets for reducing emissions, mandates were not imposed on developing countries such as brazil, china, india and south africa. From its ratification in 2002 to canada s eventual withdrawal from the agreement in 2011, the kyoto protocol has caused many debates, disagreements and discussion for the country and its citizens. Canada ratified the kyoto protocol on december 17th, 2002 toronto star, dec. It is regrettable and flies in the face of the efforts of the international community for canada to leave the kyoto protocol at a time. Canada becomes first country to quit kyoto protocol. Unfccc the kyoto protocol mechanisms 5 iet article 17 of the kyoto protocol countries with commitments under the kyoto protocol can acquire emission units from other countries with commitments under the protocol and use them to meet a part of their kyoto targets.
Financial times canada leaves kyoto to avoid heavy penalties. International political history of the kyoto protocol. Kyoto protocol and the changes in lifestyle that will be required to. Canadas withdrawal from the kyoto protocol and its effects on. In unprecedented move, canada withdraws from kyoto protocol. The kyoto protocol was adopted in kyoto, japan, on 11 december 1997 and entered into force on 16 february 2005. It appears canada may be poised to abandon the kyoto protocol designed to fight global warming and that a replacement treaty remains an elusive goal. Kyoto protocol to the united nations framework convention on climate change the parties to this protocol, being parties to the united nations framework convention on climate change, hereinafter referred to as the convention, in pursuit of the ultimate objective of the convention as stated in its article 2. However, although canada formally withdraws from the kyoto protocol, it is not the only nation to not ratify the treaty. What explains canadas withdrawal from the kyoto protocol. Unsurprisingly, several countries have criticized canada shortly after the conservative party under stephen harper made their decision. Canada has pulled out of the kyoto protocol on climate change, one day after an update was agreed on, saying the accord wont work the canadian environment minister, peter kent, said canada was. This body of literature is highly relevant as both withdrawal and non.
Peter kent said canada is invoking the legal right to withdraw and said kyoto does not. After an exhaustive sevenyear fight, the treaty came into force earlier this year, and its. Of the umbrella group parties, only canada and japan appeared to. Withdrawal1 the secretarygeneral of the united nations, acting in his capacity as depositary, communicates the following. Climate change and what it means to canadians in the end, negotiators set aside many of their differences for the sake of the planet. At its twentyfourth meeting, the enforcement branch requested the secretariat to prepare a background paper on. Canada leaving kyoto protocol on climate change the new. Canada s environment minister peter kent pauses while announcing that canada will formally withdraw from the kyoto protocol on climate change, on parliament hill in ottawa dec.
Canada has abandoned the kyoto protocol on climate change as it bids to protect the third largest oil reserves in the world. Michael oppenheimer, atmospheric physicist, environmental defense fund the kyoto protocol was the most complex nonmilitary treaty negotiations in history. An international agreement that aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the presence of greenhouse gases. Canada, a major energy producer, has become the first country to quit the kyoto protocol on climate change, saying. In a recent report, the government of canada says, while canada remains committed to meeting its reporting requirements under the unfccc and kyoto protocol, the focus of canadian action on climate change is not on the remaining years of the kyoto protocol. The plan is for countries who adopt the protocol to limit how much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases they expel into the atmosphere. Canada formally abandons kyoto protocol on climate change. On tuesday december th the minister of the environment peter kent announced that canada is removing itself from the kyoto protocol. Gain a global perspective on the us and go beyond with. Kyoto protocol is the first international agreement on climate change. Canadas withdrawal from the kyoto protocol and its. The united states did not ratify the kyoto accord, leaving canada as the only nation in the americas with a binding.
Canada is formally withdrawing from the kyoto accord, environment minister peter kent said monday. Canadas environment minister has said his country is pulling out of the kyoto protocol on climate change. To this day, canada is the only country to have backed out of this international treaty. Canada leaves kyoto to avoid heavy penalties financial times. What does canadas withdrawal from kyoto protocol mean. There are currently 192 parties canada withdrew from the protocol, effective december 2012 to the protocol. In december 2011, canada formally withdraws from kyoto protocol. Kent also claimed that canada would have to pay billions to meet its kyoto protocol target. Canada pulling out of kyoto accord canada will pull out of the kyoto protocol on climate change, environment minister peter kent said on monday, dealing. P eter kent said canada is invoking the legal right to withdraw and said kyoto does not.
The purpose of this report is to determine whether the greenhouse gases addressed by the kyoto protocol and not others namely, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons meet one or more of the criteria set out in section 64 of the canadian environmental protection act, 1999. Canada was active in the negotiations that led to the kyoto protocol in 1997. Kyoto protocol, in full kyoto protocol to the united nations framework convention on climate change, international treaty, named for the japanese city in which it was adopted in december 1997, that aimed to reduce the emission of gases that contribute to global warming. Whether they will prove to be more or less effective than the kyoto protocol is a question that wont be answered until it may be too late to plot a new course. The kyoto protocol will expire at the end of next year. Why canada kissed kyoto goodbye the national interest. Canada withdraws from kyoto protocol the christian post. Ottawa canada said on monday that it would withdraw from the kyoto protocol, the 1997 treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under that accord, major industrialized nations agreed to meet. Canadas environment minister peter kent pauses while announcing that canada will formally withdraw from the kyoto protocol on climate change, on parliament hill in ottawa dec. Canada is to withdraw from the kyoto protocol, its government announced last night. Canada became the first country to announce it would withdraw from the kyoto protocol on climate change, dealing a symbolic blow to the already troubled global treaty. Kyoto protocol summary first international treaty on. The kyoto protocol is a protocol to the united nations framework convention on climate change, an international environmental treaty with the goal of stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. This thesis aims to identify the main factors that caused canada to withdraw from the kyoto protocol.
653 300 1018 1316 949 21 868 659 1441 880 1461 767 263 141 283 540 935 1046 917 69 431 1044 15 930 1131 118 836 1475 1133 342 1335 1030 13 536 473 1016 642