COP-11: Celebrating Kyoto's Entry into Force

Environmental Defense participates in international climate talks

Posted: 14-Nov-2005; Updated: 24-Oct-2007

COP-11: Celebrating Kyoto's Entry into Force

The 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN-FCCC took place 11/28-12/9/2005

The Road to Kyoto

The backstory to the climate talks

In 1992, governments created a legal structure to take serious action on global warming. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UN-FCCC, established an ongoing process to look at, discuss and exchange information on global warming in response to changes in scientific understanding and political will.

In December 1997, 10,000 delegates met in Kyoto, Japan and agreed upon a protocol:

Industrialized countries would reduce their combined greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% compared to 1990 levels by the period 2008-2012;
In order for the treaty to take effect, though, at least 55 countries would have to take part, accounting for at least 55% of the total 1990 carbon dioxide (C02) emissions from this industrialized group.

When the U.S. refused to sign, only Russian ratification could bring the Protocol into force. Russia ratified in the fall of 2004, and the treaty went into force on February 16, 2005.

Now the Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding treaty, and Kyoto's carbon market is already delivering economic incentives for innovators to find new ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions all over the world -- everywhere, that is, except the United States.

Over 20,000 government delegates, scientists, business and civil society leaders, and concerned citizens from 180 nations are expected to converge on Montreal for a high-stakes international conference on global warming. (More on the conference.)

Representing Environmental Defense were:

Tackling the problem of climate change

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have given Americans a taste of what hurricanes in a warming world might be like. The conference comes at a crucial juncture: failure within the next decade to find a path forward that brings real reductions in total greenhouse gas emissions from all major emitting nations risks locking the world in a future of irreversible, catastrophic climate change.

In Montreal, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) met for the 11th time (COP-11), and the inaugural Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP) was also held. (More information.) Countries set out to adopt rules to kick-start Kyoto's innovative emissions trading market for capping and cutting global warming pollution in the 2008-2012 time period. Nations also sought to launch negotiations on a follow-on treaty for cutting emissions after 2012.

American innovation and leadership needed

While the U.S. Senate has voted in favor of mandatory, market-based policies to slow, stop and reverse America's greenhouse gas emissions, and while the European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is already showing the power of carbon markets to spur innovation and cut emmissions, the United States administration remains unalterably opposed to using markets to cap carbon. (Read the text of the U.S. Sense of the Senate resolution or view the Senate record [the climate resolution is the last one on the page].) The administration's arguments that capping carbon costs too much have been debunked by its own studies showing that caps on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are eminently affordable. (See EPA's Clean Air Markets page.)

The administration's objection that developing countries aren't participating in emissions reductions has been overtaken by events. China, India and a host of other developing nations have joined Kyoto's Clean Development Mechanism (See our press release on this joint effort.) And at Montreal, a group of developing countries will launch discussion on incentives for reducing emissions from tropical deforestation -- which accounts for the largest share of emissions from developing countries, an amount comparable to the total emissions of the United States. (See Environmental Defense's overview.) As companies in competitor nations move forward to make money by cutting carbon, American industry risks being left behind. (See call to action from a group of Canadian business leaders.)

As an observer at the climate treaty talks since the late 1980s, Environmental Defense at the Montreal talks will attend the scientific and ministerial meetings to help secure the launch of Kyoto and of constructive talks to cut emissions after 2012. Environmental Defense will report on the latest developments leading up to these historic talks, as well as any breaking developments.

Key Issues

Environmental Defense's Post-2012 Vision - The Kyoto Protocol is an important first step in addressing the issue of climate change, which recent scientific data indicate is already happening. We support the initiation of talks in Montreal that will lead to a post-2012 agreement.
Tropical deforestation discussion - The clearing and burning of tropical forests accounts for up to 20% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is the largest source of emissions in the developing world. "Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries' was on the provisional COP-11 agenda. Environmental Defense actively encouraged nations to look at a range of options to reduce emissions from deforestation. Read about the Compensated Reduction plan, which would use the global carbon market as an incentive for developing countries to take steps today to reduce their carbon emissions and protect their rainforests.
Environmental Defense's side events - Sharing information, networking and calling attention to specific issues are important parts of the climate meetings. We participated in several side events at the COP that aimed to highlight Kyoto protocol implementation in Russia from the perspective of civil society, showcase the Compensate Reduction proposal with our Brazilian partners (IPAM), and spotlight the current state of remote sensing in monitoring tropical deforestation. (See the U.N.'s side event pages for more details on topics.)
Kyoto update - The first item on the climate meeting agenda was to formally adopt the rules governing Kyoto's carbon market. Kyoto uses a proven market-based approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
Science and Climate Change - Climate change is happening. The best available data show we must take action today to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Our Chief Scientist Dr. Bill Chameides explained the current state of the science:
   - Global Warming Basics
   - Climate Change Impacts
   - Global Warming: Myths vs. Facts.
Momentum for Change - While the U.S. administration temporizes, America is moving forward. States, cities, business and Congress are all taking important steps to address climate change. Get information on:
   - State Action on Climate Change
   - Legislative Update [PDF]
   - The Effects of a Global Carbon Market on the Private Sector [PDF].