Kyoto Protocol
Targets
The targets cover emissions of the six main greenhouse gases, namely:
• Carbon dioxide (CO2);
• Methane (CH4);
• Nitrous oxide (N2O);
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);
• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
The maximum amount of emissions (measured as the equivalent in carbon dioxide) that a Party may emit over the commitment period in order to comply with its emissions target is known as a Party’s assigned amount. The individual targets for Annex I Parties are listed in the Kyoto Protocol's Annex B.
Kyoto Protocol Reference Manual on Accounting
of Emissions and Assigned Amounts
Countries included in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol and their emissions targets
| Country | Target (1990** - 2008/2012) |
| EU-15*, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Monaco, Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia, Switzerland | -8% |
| US*** | -7% |
| Canada, Hungary, Japan, Poland | -6% |
| Croatia | -5% |
| New Zealand, Russian Federation, Ukraine | 0 |
| Norway | +1% |
| Australia | +8% |
| Iceland | +10% |
* The 15 States who were EU members in 1997 when the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, took on
that 8% target that will be redistributed among themselves, taking advantage of a scheme under the Protocol known
as a “bubble”, whereby countries have different individual targets, but which combined make an overall
target for that group of countries. The EU has already reached agreement on how its targets will be
redistributed.
** Some EITs have a baseline other than 1990.
*** The US has indicated its intention not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
Note: Although they are listed in the Convention’s Annex I, Belarus and Turkey are not included
in the Protocol’s Annex B as they were not Parties to the Convention when the Protocol was adopted.
Upon entry into force, Kazakhstan, which has declared that it wishes to be bound by the commitments of Annex I Parties under the Convention, will become an Annex I Party under the Protocol. As it had not made this declaration when the Protocol was adopted, Kazakhstan does not have an emissions target listed for it in Annex B.
Amendment to Annex B of the Kyoto
Protocol
The Protocol mirrors the Convention in recognizing the specific needs and concerns of developing countries, especially the most vulnerable among them. Annex I Parties must thus provide information on how they are striving to meet their emissions targets while minimizing adverse impacts on developing countries.
An Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries
that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The Fund is to be financed with a share of proceeds from clean development
mechanism (CDM) project activities and receive funds from other sources. more