Why has the Kyoto Protocol proved to be less of a success story than the Montreal Protocol? Formulate your answer around the problems that states face while dealing with global environmental issues.
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Kyoto Protocol
– established in 1997
– sought to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, with a differentiation between developing and developed nations.
– US refused to ratify because China as a developing nation wasn’t compelled to reduce emissions, even though one of the worst countries for greenhouse gas emissions.
-protocol also interfered with national sovereignty
– Bush called protocol ‘dead’ in America
Montreal Protocol
-established in 1987
-sought to eliminate/reduce CFC emissions which were proven to cause an ozone layer depletion
-global north agreed to donate into fund for global south to participate in reducing CFC’s without cost to South.
– considered widely to be a success
Why did Montreal work where Kyoto hasn’t
– CFC’s were considered imminent threat where global warming not universally accepted as fact and only affects distant future. -Nations weren’t compelled to spend a lot of money on reducing greenhouse gas emissions for problem can’t immediately see.
-slush fund in Montreal protocol for Global South eliminated global tragedy of commons problem. No free-riding because all nations had means and motive to eliminate CFCs.
Lexi Doolittle
Excellent outline. Would be complete once why Montreal worked is followed by why Kyoto hasn’t.
Kyoto has not been considered a success because:
– greenhouse gas emissions not considered imminent threat, thus nations don’t give priority and especially democratic leaders looking to stay in power will not invest a lot of money in a problem that isn’t immediate
-The US, even though one of the worst emitters, didn’t ratify the treaty because China didn’t have to reduce emissions, the treaty limited sovereignty, and reducing emissions would hurt our economy.
– because the US didn’t ratify the treaty lost legitimacy, because the world’s two biggest emitters, China and the US, weren’t going to reduce emissions.
– Kyoto also asked developing countries to halt their process of industrialization, a process which lead to the creation of the world’s superpowers. Developing countries believe asking them to halt emissions is unjust and would deeply inhibit their ability to become developed countries with more highly functioning economies.
Very good!
One comment: “…because the US didn't ratify the treaty lost legitimacy”; BK: Not necessarily – what is more important is that the US is responsible for a substantial chunk of emissions and without the US participation, the solution may not be adequate.