The Kyoto Protocol offers only broad outlines of these new mechanisms. The Parties must still negotiate the necessary rules, guidelines, and criteria for implementation. This may not allow enough time to complete negotiations on implementation of the new mechanisms, delaying the introduction of emissions trading, joint implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism. If the flexibility mechanisms are unavailable to industrial countries, their governments may delay ratification of the Protocol and postpone measures needed to achieve domestic emissions reductions. In the absence of leadership on domestic emissions reductions by industrial countries, the entire cooperative spirit of the Kyoto Conference could melt like snow on a spring morning.
Next steps are crucial.
Copyright 1998 by the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security. For more information, contact Global Change.