(a) whether the validity of Kyoto Protocol is about to expire;
(b) if so, whether the Government is in favour of extension of Kyoto Protocol;
(c) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor;
(d) whether some countries have been demanding legally binding emission cuts as a pre-condition
to the extension of Kyoto Protocol;
(e) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and
(f) the present status of these negotiations?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)
(a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO PARTS (a) to (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.
360 DUE FOR REPLY ON 19.12.2011 BY SHRI HARSH VARDHAN, SHRI SUGUMAR K. REGARDING KYOTO
PROTOCOL
(a) The first commitment period for the developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol
(KP) covering the five year period from 2008-12 will come to an end on December 31, 2012. The
Kyoto Protocol does not expire in 2012 but the second commitment period for the developed
country Parties has to be established for the period commencing in 2013 before the end of the
first commitment period.
(b) & (c) Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement that sets greenhouse gas emission
reduction commitments for developed countries that are historically responsible for the
present levels of Green House Gas (GHG) concentration in the atmosphere. Government of India
strongly favors the continuation of Kyoto Protocol into the second commitment period to ensure
that the binding targets for emission reduction are implemented by the Kyoto Protocol Parties
even after the conclusion of the first commitment period.
(d) Some developed countries have demanded a single comprehensive legally binding agreement
covering all countries including the major developing countries as a pre-condition to the
decision on second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
(e) & (f) The seventeenth session of the Conference of Parties held at Durban in
December 2011 has decided to establish the second commitment period under the Kyoto protocol.
The decision recognizes the targets of developed countries that are party to Kyoto Protocol.
These targets will be converted into actual emission limits in 2012 at the next session of the
Conference of Parties in Qatar in December 2012. A time-frame of 5 years till 2017 has been
given to the Kyoto Protocol Parties for ratification of the targets. At the same time, it has
been decided to begin a process for developing legal arrangements for enhancing actions of all
parties under the Convention. The negotiations in respect of new arrangements will be
finalized in 2015 with a view to implement the arrangements from 2020.