Common, but Differentiated Commitments in the Future Climate Change Regime— Amending the Kyoto Protocol to include Annex C and the Annex C Mitigation Fund

摘要

Addressing a new climate regime after 2012 brings to the fore the issue of which countries are to take responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Should it be the developed countries specified in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol? Or should the fast-growing developing countries, such as India and China—which emit more GHGs than several developed countries—also take on binding commitments for the second commitment period or soon thereafter? This article proposes amending the Kyoto Protocol to incorporate a new Annex C that will include the fast-growing developing countries that emit large amounts of GHGs and a new Annex C Mitigation Fund. The proposed Annex C is in step with the principle of "common, but differential responsibilities" (CBDR) and upholds the goal of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, while also promoting sustainable development. The Annex C Mitigation Fund would specifically assist the fast-growing developing countries in achieving compliance with their new Kyoto Protocol commitments to be specified in Annex C.