Assessment of the Canadian governments decison to abandon the 'Kyoto accord' on climate change

ASSESSMENT OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT'S DECISON TO ABANDON THE "KYOTO ACCORD" ON CLIMATE CHANGE
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Introduction
The Kyoto accord or protocol is an international treaty initiated by the UN convention on climate change. The accord requires that its signatories sett targets which aim to bind green house gas emission reduction in the atmosphere. This accord was established under the recognition that nations are chiefly responsible for the increased level of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a consequence of more than 150 years of industrial operations in global perspectives. The accord places a commitment burden especially on nations that are developed under the policy of common but differentiated responsibilities (Wigley, 2006).
The Kyoto accord/protocol was established in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. It was fully enforced in 2005. Exclusive regulations for the accord’s implementation were adapted at COP 7 in 2007, Marrakesh, Morocco. In fact, it is referred to as “Marrakesh Accord”. The first commitment period began in 2008 and was finalized in 2012. During this time, more than 37 developed countries backed by the European community were committed to ensuring that the GHG emissions were reduced to five percent, in comparison to those realized in 1990. In the second period of commitment, nations were devoted to reducing the green house gas emissions by at least 18% lower than the figures realized in 1990s. This is an eighth year program expected to span from 2013 to and end in 2020. However, countries that participated in the second commitment period were different to those in the first (UNFCCC 1997).
Under the accord, the parties are expected to meet their targets basically through national measures. However, the accord also gives them other means of meeting their targets by the mechanisms that are market based. They include: joint implementation mechanisms, clean development mechanisms, and international emission trading. The Kyoto accord was also established to help nations to adapt to the impact of climatic change (UNFCCC 1997)
Canada and Kyoto Accord
Canada was one of the active parties which led to the establishment of Kyoto protocol. The Canadian government also ratified the accord in 2002. The government’s GHG reduction target under this accord was 6% decrease by 2012 in comparison to 1997 figures. However, the government was incapable of meeting this target and interestingly, its green house emissions increased to 24.1% instead (NFCCC 2011). Towards the end of 2011, the ministry of environment in Canadian announced the country’s withdrawal from the Kyoto accord just after a negotiation by other parties in the Kyato accord. The negotiations were supposed to be a binding one that targets all nations. In her arguments, the Canadian government claimed that the Kyoto accord did not cover the world’s largest emitters, China and America. Therefore, she could not adhere to policies that were selective on some countries. Russia and India supported Canada’s decision to pull out in 2010. Another argument from this rejection was that, since the government had failed to meet its stipulated target, it was now better to pull out of this treaty so as to avoid the $14 billion penalties imposed by the treaty for not realizing the goals. This decision however triggered a widespread local and international response (The Economist, 2011).
The Canadian council of chief executives also explained that a further extension of the Kyoto accord in that country would not be as effective as many other nations had failed to meet their targets in emission reductions. If the Kyoto accord was to be successful according to the Canadian council of chief executive, then emphasis should be placed on a comprehensive, long term agreement which will also incorporate major emitters such as United US, India, Brazil, and China.
In announcing the decision to pull out of the accord, Kent, the minister for environment at that time, blamed the former government for entering into the treaty without focus. He argued that although the former government had done a noble thing to ratify the treaty he had done little or no measure at all in reducing the gas emissions. Canada may not however, cause a huge impact that could lead to Kyato collapse. This is because it is just one country among 41 which had ratified the treaty. However, this decision sent a symbolic message to other nations which may also be looking to opt out. Analysts point out that many nations in Kyato accord are not contented with this framework and are looking for away out. Therefore, the decision by Canada to move out of the treaty was poised to trigger a negative action or mindset by the other signatories of the treaty. This was more of portrayed by Japan and Russia which has made a move of abandoning the Kyato protocol, though they have not officially done so. A UN Environmental program spokesman observes that any further departure by the signatories will jeopardize the new treaty negotiators that are going on and those agreed in the Durban convention (NFCCC, 2011).
In place of the Kyato accord, Canada instead signed Copenhagen accord which she termed as not “too binding” an inclusive to other large emitters such as US and China unlike the Kyato counterpart. Under this treaty, she agreed to match its reduction targets with that of US which were both set at 17% below the 2005 levels in the following list of quantified targets.
At present, Canada is halfway towards meeting its commitment to ensuring that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduce by 17% in 2020. Under the present perspective, Canada’s combined efforts by the federal, provincial and territorial a...