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7.a. Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Kyoto, 11 December 1997

 

Entry into force: 16 February 2005, in accordance with article 25 (1) in accordance with article 25 which reads as follows: "1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date on which not less than 55 Parties to the Convention, incorporating Parties included in Annex I which accounted in total for at least 55 per cent of the total carbon dioxide emissions for 1990 of the Parties included in Annex I, have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. 2. For the purposes of this Article, 'the total carbon dioxide emissions for 1990 of the Parties included in Annex I' means the amount communicated on or before the date of adoption of this Protocol by the Parties included in Annex I in their first national communications submitted in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention. 3. For each State or regional economic integration organization that ratifies, accepts or approves this Protocol or accedes thereto after the conditions set out in paragraph 1 above for entry into force have been fulfilled, this Protocol shall enter into force on the ninetieth day following the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification acceptance, approval or accession. 4. For the purposes of this Article, any instrument deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by States members of the organization. ".
Registration: 16 February 2005, No. 30822.
Status: Signatories: 84 ,Parties: 1761.
Text: Decision 1/CP.3 of the Conference of the State Parties to the Convention at its third session; depositary notifications C.N.101.2004.TREATIES-1 of 11 February 2004 [Proposed corrections to the original texts of the Protocol (Arabic and French versions)] and C.N.439.2004.TREATIES-4 of 12 May 2004 [Corrections to the original texts of the Protocol (Arabic and French versions)]; C.N.390.2007.TREATIES-5 of 17 April 2007 (Adoption of an amendment to Annex B of the Protocol). 

Note: The Protocol was adopted at the third session of the Conference of the Parties to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ("the Convention"), held at Kyoto (Japan) from 1 to 11 December 1997. The Protocol shall be open for signature by States and regional economic integration organizations which are Parties to the Convention at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 16 March 1998 to 15 March 1999 in accordance with its article 24 (1).

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Participant  Signature  Ratification, Acceptance (A), Accession (a), Approval (AA) 
Albania    1 Apr 2005 a 
Algeria    16 Feb 2005 a 
Angola    8 May 2007 a 
Antigua and Barbuda  16 Mar 1998  3 Nov 1998 
Argentina  16 Mar 1998  28 Sep 2001 
Armenia    25 Apr 2003 a 
Australia  29 Apr 1998   
Austria  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Azerbaijan    28 Sep 2000 a 
Bahamas    9 Apr 1999 a 
Bahrain    31 Jan 2006 a 
Bangladesh    22 Oct 2001 a 
Barbados    7 Aug 2000 a 
Belarus    26 Aug 2005 a 
Belgium  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Belize    26 Sep 2003 a 
Benin    25 Feb 2002 a 
Bhutan    26 Aug 2002 a 
Bolivia  9 Jul 1998  30 Nov 1999 
Bosnia and Herzegovina    16 Apr 2007 a 
Botswana    8 Aug 2003 a 
Brazil  29 Apr 1998  23 Aug 2002 
Bulgaria  18 Sep 1998  15 Aug 2002 
Burkina Faso    31 Mar 2005 a 
Burundi    18 Oct 2001 a 
Cambodia    22 Aug 2002 a 
Cameroon    28 Aug 2002 a 
Canada  29 Apr 1998  17 Dec 2002 
Cape Verde    10 Feb 2006 a 
Chile  17 Jun 1998  26 Aug 2002 
China2  29 May 1998  30 Aug 2002 AA 
Colombia    30 Nov 2001 a 
Congo    12 Feb 2007 a 
Cook Islands  16 Sep 1998  27 Aug 2001 
Costa Rica  27 Apr 1998  9 Aug 2002 
Côte d'Ivoire    23 Apr 2007 a 
Croatia  11 Mar 1999  30 May 2007 
Cuba  15 Mar 1999  30 Apr 2002 
Cyprus    16 Jul 1999 a 
Czech Republic  23 Nov 1998  15 Nov 2001 AA 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea    27 Apr 2005 a 
Democratic Republic of the Congo    23 Mar 2005 a 
Denmark3  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Djibouti    12 Mar 2002 a 
Dominica    25 Jan 2005 a 
Dominican Republic    12 Feb 2002 a 
Ecuador  15 Jan 1999  13 Jan 2000 
Egypt  15 Mar 1999  12 Jan 2005 
El Salvador  8 Jun 1998  30 Nov 1998 
Equatorial Guinea    16 Aug 2000 a 
Eritrea    28 Jul 2005 a 
Estonia  3 Dec 1998  14 Oct 2002 
Ethiopia    14 Apr 2005 a 
European Community  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 AA 
Fiji  17 Sep 1998  17 Sep 1998 
Finland  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
France  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 AA 
Gabon    12 Dec 2006 a 
Gambia    1 Jun 2001 a 
Georgia    16 Jun 1999 a 
Germany  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Ghana    30 May 2003 a 
Greece  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Grenada    6 Aug 2002 a 
Guatemala  10 Jul 1998  5 Oct 1999 
Guinea    7 Sep 2000 a 
Guinea-Bissau    18 Nov 2005 a 
Guyana    5 Aug 2003 a 
Haiti    6 Jul 2005 a 
Honduras  25 Feb 1999  19 Jul 2000 
Hungary    21 Aug 2002 a 
Iceland    23 May 2002 a 
India    26 Aug 2002 a 
Indonesia  13 Jul 1998  3 Dec 2004 
Iran (Islamic Republic of)    22 Aug 2005 a 
Ireland  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Israel  16 Dec 1998  15 Mar 2004 
Italy  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Jamaica    28 Jun 1999 a 
Japan  28 Apr 1998  4 Jun 2002 A 
Jordan    17 Jan 2003 a 
Kazakhstan  12 Mar 1999   
Kenya    25 Feb 2005 a 
Kiribati    7 Sep 2000 a 
Kuwait    11 Mar 2005 a 
Kyrgyzstan    13 May 2003 a 
Lao People's Democratic Republic    6 Feb 2003 a 
Latvia  14 Dec 1998  5 Jul 2002 
Lebanon    13 Nov 2006 a 
Lesotho    6 Sep 2000 a 
Liberia    5 Nov 2002 a 
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya    24 Aug 2006 a 
Liechtenstein  29 Jun 1998  3 Dec 2004 
Lithuania  21 Sep 1998  3 Jan 2003 
Luxembourg  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Madagascar    24 Sep 2003 a 
Malawi    26 Oct 2001 a 
Malaysia  12 Mar 1999  4 Sep 2002 
Maldives  16 Mar 1998  30 Dec 1998 
Mali  27 Jan 1999  28 Mar 2002 
Malta  17 Apr 1998  11 Nov 2001 
Marshall Islands  17 Mar 1998  11 Aug 2003 
Mauritania    22 Jul 2005 a 
Mauritius    9 May 2001 a 
Mexico  9 Jun 1998  7 Sep 2000 
Micronesia (Federated States of)  17 Mar 1998  21 Jun 1999 
Moldova    22 Apr 2003 a 
Monaco  29 Apr 1998  27 Feb 2006 
Mongolia    15 Dec 1999 a 
Montenegro    4 Jun 2007 a 
Morocco    25 Jan 2002 a 
Mozambique    18 Jan 2005 a 
Myanmar    13 Aug 2003 a 
Namibia    4 Sep 2003 a 
Nauru    16 Aug 2001 a 
Nepal    16 Sep 2005 a 
Netherlands4  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 A 
New Zealand5  22 May 1998  19 Dec 2002 
Nicaragua  7 Jul 1998  18 Nov 1999 
Niger  23 Oct 1998  30 Sep 2004 
Nigeria    10 Dec 2004 a 
Niue  8 Dec 1998  6 May 1999 
Norway  29 Apr 1998  30 May 2002 
Oman    19 Jan 2005 a 
Pakistan    11 Jan 2005 a 
Palau    10 Dec 1999 a 
Panama  8 Jun 1998  5 Mar 1999 
Papua New Guinea  2 Mar 1999  28 Mar 2002 
Paraguay  25 Aug 1998  27 Aug 1999 
Peru  13 Nov 1998  12 Sep 2002 
Philippines  15 Apr 1998  20 Nov 2003 
Poland  15 Jul 1998  13 Dec 2002 
Portugal  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 AA 
Qatar    11 Jan 2005 a 
Republic of Korea  25 Sep 1998  8 Nov 2002 
Romania  5 Jan 1999  19 Mar 2001 
Russian Federation  11 Mar 1999  18 Nov 2004 
Rwanda    22 Jul 2004 a 
Saint Lucia  16 Mar 1998  20 Aug 2003 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  19 Mar 1998  31 Dec 2004 
Samoa  16 Mar 1998  27 Nov 2000 
Saudi Arabia    31 Jan 2005 a 
Senegal    20 Jul 2001 a 
Serbia    19 Oct 2007 a 
Seychelles  20 Mar 1998  22 Jul 2002 
Sierra Leone    10 Nov 2006 a 
Singapore    12 Apr 2006 a 
Slovakia  26 Feb 1999  31 May 2002 
Slovenia  21 Oct 1998  2 Aug 2002 
Solomon Islands  29 Sep 1998  13 Mar 2003 
South Africa    31 Jul 2002 a 
Spain  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Sri Lanka    3 Sep 2002 a 
Sudan    2 Nov 2004 a 
Suriname    25 Sep 2006 a 
Swaziland    13 Jan 2006 a 
Sweden  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
Switzerland  16 Mar 1998  9 Jul 2003 
Syrian Arab Republic    27 Jan 2006 a 
Thailand  2 Feb 1999  28 Aug 2002 
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia    18 Nov 2004 a 
Togo    2 Jul 2004 a 
Trinidad and Tobago  7 Jan 1999  28 Jan 1999 
Tunisia    22 Jan 2003 a 
Turkmenistan  28 Sep 1998  11 Jan 1999 
Tuvalu  16 Nov 1998  16 Nov 1998 
Uganda    25 Mar 2002 a 
Ukraine  15 Mar 1999  12 Apr 2004 
United Arab Emirates    26 Jan 2005 a 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland6  29 Apr 1998  31 May 2002 
United Republic of Tanzania    26 Aug 2002 a 
United States of America  12 Nov 1998   
Uruguay  29 Jul 1998  5 Feb 2001 
Uzbekistan  20 Nov 1998  12 Oct 1999 
Vanuatu    17 Jul 2001 a 
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)    18 Feb 2005 a 
Viet Nam  3 Dec 1998  25 Sep 2002 
Yemen    15 Sep 2004 a 
Zambia  5 Aug 1998  7 Jul 2006 
 

 

DECLARATIONS

Declarations and Reservations

(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made

upon ratification, accession, acceptance or approval.)

Cook Islands

Upon signature:

Declaration:

The Government of the Cook Islands declares its understanding that signature and subsequent ratification of the Kyoto Protocol shall in no way constitute a renunciation of any rights under international law concerning State responsibility for the adverse effects of climate change and that no provision in the Protocol can be interpreted as derogating from principles of general international law.

In this regard, the Government of the Cook Islands further declares that, in light of the best available scientific information and assessment on climate change and its impacts, it considers the emissions reduction obligation in article 3 of the Kyoto Protocol to be inadequate to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system."

European Community

Upon signature:

Declaration:

"The European Community and its Member States will fulfil their respective commitments under article 3, paragraph 1, of the Protocol jointly in accordance with the provisions of article 4."

Upon approval:

Declaration by the European Community made in accordance with article 24 (3) of the Kyoto Protocol

"The following States are at present members of the European Community: the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The European Community declares that, in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular article 175 (1) thereof, it is competent to enter into international agreements, and to implement the obligations resulting therefrom, which contribute to the pursuit of the following objectives:

- preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment;

- protecting human health;

- prudent and rational utilisation of natural resources;

- promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or world wide environmental problems.

The European Community declares that its quantified emission reduction commitment under the Protocol will be fulfilled through action by the Community and its Member States within the respective competence of each and that it has already adopted legal instruments, binding on its Member States, covering matters governed by the Protocol.

The European Community will on a regular basis provide information on relevant Community legal instruments within the framework of the supplementary information incorporated in its national communication submitted under article 12 of the Convention for the purpose of demonstrating compliance with its commitments under the Protocol in accordance with article 7 (2) thereof and the guidelines thereunder."

France

Upon signature:

Interpretative declaration:

The French Republic reserves the right, in ratifying the [said Protocol], to exclude its Overseas Territories from the scope of the Protocol.

Upon approval:

The ratification by the French Republic of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of 11 December 1997 should be interpreted in the context of the commitment assumed under article 4 of the Protocol by the European Community, from which it is indissociable. The ratification does not, therefore, apply to the Territories of the French Republic to which the Treaty establishing the European Community is not applicable.

Nonetheless, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 6, of the Protocol, the French Republic shall, in the event of failure to achieve the total combined level of emission reductions, remain individually responsible for its own level of emissions.

Ireland

Upon signature:

Declaration:

"The European Community and the Member States, including Ireland, will fulfil their respective commitments under article 3, paragraph 1, of the Protocol in accordance with the provisions of article 4."

Kiribati

Declaration:

"The Government of the Republic of Kiribati declares its understanding that accession to the Kyoto Protocol shall in no way constitute a renunciation of any rights under international law concerning State responsibility for the adverse effects of the climate change and that no provision in the Protocol can be interpreted as derogating from principles of general international law."

Nauru

Declarations:

"... The Government of the Republic of Nauru declares its understanding that the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol shall in no way constitute a renunciation of any rights under international law concerning State responsibility for the adverse effects of climate change; ...

... The Government of the Republic of Nauru further declares that, in the light of the best available scientific information and assessment of climate change and impacts, it considers the emissions of reduction obligations in Article 3 of the Kyoto Protocol to be inadequate to prevent the dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system;

... [The Government of the Republic of Nauru declares] that no provisions in the Protocol can be interpreted as derogating from the principles of general international law[.]

Niue

Upon signature:

Declaration:

"The Government of Niue declares its understanding that ratification of the Kyoto Protocol shall in no way constitute a renunciation of any rights under international law concerning state responsibility for the adverse effects of climate change and that no provisions in the Protocol can be interpreted as derogating from the principles of general international law.

In this regard, the Government of Niue further declares that, in light of the best available scientific information and assessment of climate change and impacts, it considers the emissions reduction obligations in article 3 of the Kyoto Protocol to be inadequate to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system."

Russian Federation

Statement:

The Russian Federation proceeds from the assumption that the commitments of the Russian Federation under the Protocol will have serious consequences for its social and economic development. Therefore, the decision on ratification was taken following a thorough analysis of all factors, inter alia, the importance of the Protocol for the promotion of international cooperation, and taking into account that the Protocol can enter into force only if the Russian Federation ratifies it.

The Protocol establishes for each of the Parties that have signed it quantified reductions of greenhouse gas emissions to atmosphere for the first commitment period from 2008 to 2012.

The commitments of the Parties to the Protocol on quantified reductions of greenhouse gas emissions to atmosphere for the second and subsequent commitment periods of the Protocol, that is after 2012, will be established through negotiations of the Parties to the Protocol scheduled to start in 2005. On the outcome of these negotiations the Russian Federation will take a decision on its participation in the Protocol in the second and subsequent commitment periods.

Syrian Arab Republic

Declaration:

The accession of the Syrian Arab Republic to this Protocol shall in no way imply its recognition of Israel or entail its entry into any dealings with Israel in the matters governed by the provisions thereof.

 

 

NOTES

1. In accordance with article 25 (4) of the Protocol, any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of that organization.

2. In a communication received on 30 August 2002, the Government of the People's Republic of China informed the Secretary-General of the following:

In accordance with article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China of 1990 and article 138 of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China of 1993, the Government of the People's Republic of China decides that the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change shall provisionally not apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

Further, in a communication received on 8 April 2003, the Government of the Government of the People's Republic of China notified the Secretary-General of the following:

"In accordance with the provisions of Article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China of 1990, the Government of the People's Republic of China decides that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change shall apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change continues to be implemented in the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change shall not apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China until the Government of China notifies otherwise."

3. With a territorial exclusion to the Faroe Islands.

4. For the Kingdom in Europe.

5. With the following declaration:

".....consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account the commitment of the Government of New Zealand to the development of self-government for Tokelau through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the Depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory."

6. On 4 April 2006, the Government of the United Kingdom informed the Secretary-General that the Protocol shall apply to the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man. On 2 January 2007: in respect of Gibraltar. On 7 March 2007: in respect of Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and the Bailiwick of Jersey.

7. By a communication received on 27 March 2007, the Government of Argentina notified the Secretary-General of the following:

The Argentine Republic objects to the extension of the territorial application to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of 11 December 1997 with respect to the Malvinas Islands, which was notified by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Depositary of the Convention on 7 March 2007.

The Argentine Republic reaffirms its sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime spaces, which are an integral part of its national territory, and recalls that the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25, which recognize the existence of a dispute over sovereignty and request the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to initiate negotiations with a view to finding the means to resolve peacefully and definitively the pending problems between both countries, including all aspects on the future of the Malvinas Islands, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.