Kyoto Protocol1 May 2005
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement on tackling climate change. It became law in 2005.
In 1992 all UN countries agreed that rich countries - those most responsible for causing climate change - should take the lead in tackling it.
The Kyoto Protocol sets targets for the maximum amount of greenhouse gasses rich countries can produce. The world's biggest polluter - the United States - didn't sign.
Most people say the Kyoto Protocol isn't the complete answer. But it has an important role to play.
The Copenhagen climate talks
The Copenhagen climate talks in 2009 were supposed to build on the Kyoto Protocol.
The aim was to get the United States to reduce its emissions and for all rich countries to support poor countries to tackle climate change.
Unfortunately, the United States is still avoiding its responsibility. And it played a negative role at the Copenhagen talks. It drafted the weak political statement called the 'Copenhagen Accord'. The Accord has no legal obligations in it.
Did you know?
The Copenhagen Accord is so weak that it would almost certainly result in dangerous climate change.
A minority of countries are promoting the accord. Many have associated themselves with it - but only under pressure from rich countries and with the promise of finance to deal with climate change.
What next?
The UK has an opportunity to get the UN climate talks back on track. We could be world leaders in the battle against climate change.
Our Government has committed to a climate change law at home and says it wants strong action internationally.
But the UK is promoting dangerous policies such as carbon offsetting which will stop us from solving climate change.
Friends of the Earth says:
The UK Government must abandon policies like carbon offsetting which simply let us carry on polluting.
Instead the Government must make real emissions cuts at home and provide the support to developing countries that will help solve climate change globally.
© Friends of the Earth International
