Abstract
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol related to the international Framework Convention on Climate Change with the objective of reducing the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. It was agreed upon, on 11 December 1997at the 3rd Conference of the Parties to the treaty, when they met in Kyoto, and enforced on 16 February 2005. So far 189 countries have ratified the protocol with three more countries intending to participate. Of these, 36 developed countries (plus the EU as a party in its own right) are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the levels specified for each of them in the treaty (representing over 61.6% of emissions from Annex I countries). One hundred and thirty-seven (137) developing countries have ratified the protocol, including Brazil, China and India, but have no obligation beyond monitoring and reporting emissions. The United States has not ratified the treaty.
