BEYOND KYOTO

摘要

The Kyoto Protocol was the world's first treaty to attempt to address global warming by trying to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. It is due to expire at the end of 2012. Despite the treaty only coming into force in 2005, post-Kyoto negotiations started again in February last year at the G8 meeting. Then, in December, Bali hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where participating nations adopted a "Bali roadmap" as a two-year process finalising a binding agreement in 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The road to Bali was dotted with promising signs - the success of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth; the publication of the Stern report, which cogently set out the economic case for tackling climate change now rather than later; the IPCC's series of reports last year, which firmed up consensus on the scientific case for action; the Nobel Peace Prize for Gore and the IPCC; and finally Australia's new prime minister reversing years of opposition by signing up to the Kyoto Protocol at Bali itself.