Another Post about KP: What should be done?

Sam Parker ’12

If you have been following my colleague’s blogs or the negotiations, you will know that there is a great deal of talk around a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol (KP) here in Durban.   Countries have been torn on this issue.  The U.S., Canada and a few other countries have said they will not sign onto another commitment period for KP.  Others such as the E.U., most of the African nations, and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) are calling for another commitment period of KP to extend to 2020 or beyond and to have it be legally binding.  There has also been a campaign organized by the tcktcktck, I ♥ KP, which many of the youth and other organizations are taking apart in wearing T-shirts, ties and stickers to show their support for what is becoming known as KP2.

I think, for many KP, is a document that is more a symbol than anything else.  It is the first and only document that has had some kind a legality to it and it is the only document that calls for emissions reductions from the countries that chose to ratify it.  For others I believes that they also fear what may happen if KP is allowed to die and no other commitment is put into place.  I also feel that many are looking at KP very practically, it is a good document with some problems.  These problems have been identified and would not be terribly difficult to fix, so why wait until 2020 to start working on a new document, as the U.S. has proposed, when there is a solid document to work with.

I too, have been torn on the issue of KP2.  I have seen that KP1 didn’t work, countries did not meet there targets and and not suffering any consequence because of it.  Global emissions are continuing to rise at an unhealthy rate and our youth and poor will be the ones suffering in the near future.  But there is hope with the discussions of making KP2 legally binding and with stricter emissions targets.  And now, China has opened itself to a commitment, it is looking like another commitment period will be instituted and I am finding myself very happy about that.  Let us hope that an agreement can be reached and maybe if hell freezes over, the U.S. will sign on.

And… I ♥ KP