Kyoto Protocol

Design and
Rationale

Eric Mehlhoff (Task Leader)

Iain Keith
Lyndon Valicenti
Sara Moriyama
 Overview

• Global Climate Change

– Effects on Climate
www.gothamgazette.com/.../
– Effects on Ecosystems and Humanity lib_under_tdat_01.jpg

• A Call For Action

– Need for Intervention
– Stepping Stones
• Kyoto Protocol as a Solution
– Clean Development Mechanism
Greenhouse Gases

• At least 3 atoms
• Absorb Infrared
radiation

• Molecules vibrate and

release absorbed
radiation
– More complex molecules Infrared Energy
(e.g. SF6) can have
more behaviors
www.environment.sa.gov.au
 Sources of Greenhouse
Gases
• Fossil Fuel Combustion
• Land Use Conversion CO２

• Rice Paddies
• Landfills
Methane
• Livestock
• Fertilizer
Nitrous Oxide
• Industrial Production
Global Climate Change
Increased
Greenhouse Gases
in Atmosphere

Overall Warming
Trend:
Global Warming www.unep-wcmc.org/
climate/I/drought.jpg

Changes in Regional Temperature

Patterns, Precipitation Patterns, Rise in
Sea Level:
Global Climate Change
Increased Temperature

www.nasa.gov/images/
 Sea Level Rise

Sea Level Rises for 1, 2, 4, 8 meters http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/~tk/climate_dynamics/fig5.gif

Effects on Ecosystems and Humanity

Climate
• ∆ Temp
• ∆ Precipitation
• Floods
Droughts
Humanity
Ecosystem

•Vector-borne
•Habitat
Infectious
Range
diseases
•Timing of
•Crop Yields
Biological
Events •Water
Resources
•Community
Composition •Sea-level Rise
 A Call For Action
Brundtland Commission
1988
International Panel on Climate Change
1988
United Nations
Brundtland
Framework Convention
Commission:
Kyoto Protocol:
on Climate Change: United Nations Framework
“Our Common
Negotiated in Kyoto,
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Convention on Climate Change
JapanFuture”
1997
1992 1992
Came into Force - 2005
Clean Development
Sustainable
Mechanism:
-Set only voluntary
Development- Kyoto Protocol
emission targets
Set mandatory target CO2 1997
Ability
emissions to use
to 5% below
-No enforcement
Flexibility Mechanism
resources now
1990 levels
mechanisms by 2010
where Industrialized
without
nation performs project
compromising future
in Developing nation CDM
Allowsgenerations
for ability to
flexibility
-Allows
usefor Amendments
resources
mechanisms
Reduce, Reduce, Reduce

http://vitalgraphics.
grida.no/kyoto/

Projected Difference between Emitted

Greenhouse Gas and Kyoto Target Emissions in
2010
Clean Development
Mechanism

Reforestation Afforestation

Create Additional
Replanting of “CarbonPlanting
Sinks”Newwhich
Pull Carbon Dioxide Out ofForests
Atmosphere
on
Forests on
Lands that
Lands that
Historically did
Reduce
Used to beOverall Concentration of Carbon
Dioxide not Contain
Forests in Atmosphere
Forests
Conclusion

• Humans and Ecosystems will face Direct

Impacts as a result of Global Climate
Change

• International Response is Required

• Kyoto Protocol and CDM are Initial Steps