Emission trading - Kyoto Protocol

I'm sorry, but I am not up to date on the Kyoto Protocol. What financial rewards are there from the Kyoto Protocol to countries reducing emissions and who gives them? Is it like a giant pool of money? Who puts the money in the pot? Who "guards" the pot from others (politicians)?

Since almost all the leading countries (so far 169 +) have signed Kyoto protocol, it is binding to them to reduce the emission level in their own area. The authorities of that country fixes the level to different industries of that country to achieve the national level of emission. If a company cannot achieve the desired emission cap (due to cost, technology or whatever) they can do so by making some agreement with other organization anywhere in the world and can show the reduction or part of that (as per agreement) by that project in their account and pay for that. The rates and other things are purely business and a matter of negotiation. To make this process simpler and take advantage of this demand many organizations are working like banks of CER, ERU etc. If your company needs to reduce emission, you can contact these organizations and they can give credit of CERs to your company and in turn your company will pay for that. Thus the money for emission reduciton is coming.

As far as I can see carbon trading allows those who want to pollute to continue doing so but they have to pay someone else who is not polluting (or not polluting as much) to take some carbon absorbing action such as planting trees.

Hence the rich polluters can continue to pollute and pass the cost to the final consumer who pays for it while hopefully the group collecting the payment might plant some trees with the payments received. This may help get a few more trees but will not actually stop pollution only making it slightly more expensive.

So, as usual, it is back to the mighty dollar. And as long as pollution is allowed the extra expense will be paid for by the end user.

Let's have a true reduction in pollution and plant trees anyway instead of continuing to push them down or burn them while pretending to be "Carbon Neutral".

Anyhow, we the end users are going to pay and there is a long way to go for the common man to understand and infer even the logic behind the KP. People, sorry! Governments are selling KP. As our Australian BigBird suggested, let us(we individuals) maintain our protocol to the nature by planting trees.

Thnx,

nature's rep.

Here here, here here, here here HERE

As the term implies, it is the trading meant for reducing GH Gases. The unit for these emmissions are converted into equivalent of CO2 emission on 100 yrs tieframe and so the term "carbon trading". As per Kyoto protocol, Annex1 countries ( developed, industrialized, and economies in transition like Russia etc) have been given emmission reduction targets of GHGs keeping baseline at that of 1990. This reduction in emmision can be achieved in three ways called Kyoto mechanism- Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); Joint Implementation (JI) and International Emmission Trading (IET).

The final motto ( overall reduction in GHG emission) can be achieved in 2 ways - removal of these gases from environment through sinnks by aforestation or reforestation and reduction in targetted emission. Accordingly, any of the abovementioned 3 mechanisms can be opted.

It is not a loose process but a well defined and scritinized international system is working for that. To make such agreement, the parties involved (even privet companies) have to go through a multistage process controlled by Executive Board (EB) of UNFCCC. This process involves preparation of project design document, approval from the National Designated Authorities (NDA) of the involved countries, Validation of the project by Designated Operation Entity (DOE), preparation of monitoring plan, monitoring of the project, Registration of the project to EB and then Issuance of Certificate of Emission Reduction (CER) by EB. Then a log is maintained of the CERs and its trasaction based on the regular monitoring.

I hope this will clear your idea on carbon trading.

Correct me if I am wrong.. but I understand Green House gases include CO2 and methane. Amount of methane produced in nature is huge compared with production of CO2 in industries.

I understand planting trees will reduce CO2 by converting CO2 to O2. But what control do we have over methane?

Is it also true that USA alone contribute to about 40% of global GHG production and that they are not a signatory to KP? Perhaps Al Gore can take care of his own house first before telling other poor countries to install expensive pollution control systems and thereby retarding the industrial growth because cost will become too high to start an industry!

Any suggestions....?

There are six green house gases: CO2, methane. Nitrous oxide, HFC, PFC & SF6. the emissions of all these gases are converted to equivalent of CO2 on 100 yr time frame. There are two ways of reducing the overall emission level- removal and reduction. Removal is by aforestation / reforestation and reduciton by adopting a way to reduce the emission below baseline.

Yes presently USA is not a party of kyoto Protocol but they are on the verge of it. Recently, Mr Arnold Schwarzneggar, Governor of California annouced that he will gain carbon credt equivalent to the emission from his jet flies. So people & authorities are serious in this direction.

But you are right Mr Gore should expedite this in his home first.

"have to go through a multistage process controlled by Executive Board (EB) of UNFCCC. This process involves preparation of project design document, approval from the National Designated Authorities (NDA) of the involved countries, Validation of the project by Designated Operation Entity (DOE), preparation of monitoring plan, monitoring of the project, Registration of the project to EB and then Issuance of Certificate of Emission Reduction (CER) by EB. Then a log is maintained of the CERs and its trasaction based on the regular monitoring."

That's blown it then.