Failure of Kyoto Protocol

The original 15 EU member states who signed Kyoto have dropped their emissions by 6%, giving them “a head start to reach and even over-achieve” their target under the treaty of an 8% reduction. Emissions from the current 27 member countries have fallen by more than 17% since 1990, putting them “well on track” to meet the target to meet the EU’s own pledge of a 20% reduction by the same date, added the report. However a report due to be published soon by the Policy Exchange think tank has measured the emissions generated by goods and services consumed by those countries and found that it has increased by more than 40%. As a result, “demonstrating success in reducing carbon levels is questionable,” said Simon Less, the think tank’s head of environment and energy. Although the Kyoto agreement only measures production, the stark difference in the figures highlights a key controversy in negotiations about a new treaty – which will continue at a big UN meeting in Cancún, Mexico, in December: some developing countries, such as China, argue they should not be held responsible for emissions generated by consumption in rich nations...more