Kyoto Protocol

n. international treaty on climate change adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 1997 to reduce discharge of greenhouse gas as to fight global warming

The Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an amendment to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations.The objective of the protocol is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system."As of June 2007, a total of 172 countries and other governmental entities have ratified the agreement (representing over 61.6% of emissions from Annex I countries). Notable exceptions include the United States and Australia. One hundred thirty seven countries (137) have ratified the protocol, but have no obligation beyond monitoring and reporting emissions.
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Adopted in December 1997, this Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change highlights the international community's new attitude towards the phenomenon of climate change. Under the Protocol, the industrialised countries have undertaken to reduce their emissions of six greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride) by at least 5% during the period 2008-2012 compared with 1990 levels.

For their part, the Member States of the European Union have undertaken to reduce their emissions over the same period by 8%.

In 2000, global emissions of the six greenhouse gases in the countries of the Union were 3.5% below 1990 levels.

On 31 May 2002, the Union and its Member States ratified the Kyoto protocol. Nevertheless, the protocol is not yet in force.

See:

•Environment
•Sustainable development

This is an international agreement struck by 159 nations attending the Third Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (held in December of 1997 in Kyoto Japan) to reduce worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases. If ratified and put into force, individual countries have committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a specified amount. See United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,  Conference of the Parties, Berlin Mandate.