Emissions Targets

          Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only enforceable climate treaty that binds countries to lower greenhouse emissions, is soon to expire. Currently there is a climate conference in South Africa, which ends tomorrow, whose main objective is to create emissions reducing targets that could be adopted by developing countries and United States. The Kyoto Protocol imposes financial penalties for not meeting the set emissions target. Thirty developed countries including New Zealand has agreed to renew the Kyoto Protocol and furthermore work on reducing emissions. Some of the countries that have declined to accept the agreement were Russia, Japan and Canada.

            This event shows that emissions are a major concern for many countries. One of the countries that is leading by example is New Zealand. They agreed to renew the Kyoto Protocol and they are willing to accept the consequences if they do not reach the set target. What is worrisome is that three of the biggest nations did not agree to the treaty again. These highly industrialized countries produce a lot of emissions per year and to know that they are not willing to reach the target emission goal set by so many other developed countries is troublesome.

            The conference will continue and hopefully those three countries will change their stand on setting targets for greenhouse emissions. 

To read more :

New Zealand to set new emissions target