REDUCING THE EMISSION OF GREENHOUSE GASES - OBLIGATIONS OF THE SIGNATORIES UNDER KYOTO PROTOCOL V/s PARIS CONVENTION

The KP was adopted in 1997, recognizing that the developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Developing countries like India and China have no mandatory mitigation obligations or targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) seeks to stabilize Gree n House Gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would minimize interference with the climate system, the global community had in December, 2015 adopted another agreement in Paris which is meant for being operationalised post - 2020 (end of the K P's second commitment period). Unlike the KP which requires only developed countries to take mandatory actions, the Paris Agreement mandates all countries to take action to minimize the impact of climate change as per their voluntary commitments and indiv idual capacity. "India has always emphasized the importance of climate actions by developed country Parties in the pre - 2020 period.