“A strong and effective compliance mechanism is key to the success of the implementation of the treaty,” said Richard Kinley, acting head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat in Bonn.
Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), also welcomed the launch of the compliance system, saying it provided the Protocol with “teeth.”
“With today’s announcement, the Protocol also has teeth, as befits a legally binding treaty. This in turn adds to the integrity of Kyoto and its provisions, in particular the credibility of the emissions trading markets,” Mr. Toepfer said.
The enforcement wing of the Protocol’s Compliance Committee had the power to determine the consequences for countries that do not meet commitments, while the facilitative branch of the Committee was designed to provide advice and assistance to States in order to promote compliance, according to UNFCCC Ambassador Ra�l Estrada Oyuela of Argentina, Chair of the Enforcement Branch, called the Kyoto Protocol compliance system “groundbreaking” and pointed out that it was “designed to ensure the environmental integrity of the agreement and to contribute to the credibility of the carbon market created by the Protocol.”
Hironori Hamanaka of Japan was elected Chair of the committee’s Facilitative Branch. Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, 35 industrialized countries and the European Community are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions below levels specified for each of them. Overall, this should amount to reductions of at least 5 percent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 and now the 20-member Compliance Committee will deal with cases of non-compliance with these and other obligations of the Protocol.
“The signs of climate change are all around us, from the melting of the Arctic and the glaciers up to extreme weather events and the migration of species,” said Mr. Toepfer. “I sincerely believe that the world is no longer in any doubt that climate change is real and that the targets set under Kyoto are modest and doable – that few if any will be bothering Ambassador Estrada or Mr. Hamanaka over the next six years.”
Subscribe
Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.
Posted on 7th March 2006
Latest Posts
-
IEMA focus on skills, adaptation and nature-based solutions in CCC report
- 18th July 2024 -
Labour's plan for economic growth must mean green growth – but there is a green skills gap looming
- 5th July 2024 -
As Labour plans to “slash red tape” for economic growth, YouGov poll finds 3 in 5 people want to increase public involvement in planning system
- 28th June 2024 -
Medtronic agrees partnership with IEMA to accelerate skills and standards in sustainability
- 21st June 2024 -
Landmark climate impact ruling for fossil fuel projects, cites IEMA guidance
- 20th June 2024 -
IEMA sets out 18 policy asks for the next Government
- 3rd June 2024