Kyoto Protocol: the first of ten steps
The long-awaited Kyoto Protocol became international law on February 16 heralding the world's first legally binding global treaty on climate change.
This means that by 2012 39 industrialised countries will now be legally bound to cut their global greenhouse emissions by five per cent below 1990 levels.
In addition to this, more than 100 other countries, including developing and newly industrialised countries, have ratified the protocol.
WWF Climate Change Program Manager Anna Reynolds said the protocol's passing into force is a welcome development and the first step towards managing the very real threat of climate change.
"It's been seven years since I was there at that all night session in Kyoto, kept on the edge of my seat and wondering if the nations of the world would strike an agreement," she said.
"They did, but it's taken since then for the protocol to achieve the status of international law."
WWF will continue to encourage international emission reductions as we aim for stronger targets after 2012 when the first Kyoto targets expire.
In Australia WWF will continue working for national emission reductions to be far stronger than the target governments agreed to under Kyoto, which allows Australia to increase its emissions to eight per cent above 1990 levels.
Also, we will be working to ensure the Australian Government will join the global community in a joint approach to tackling greenhouse gas emissions.
The ultimate goal of the international community must be to ensure the Earth's global average temperature remains below a potentially devastating 2° Celsius increase on pre-industrial levels.
The Australian Climate Group of scientists (brought together by WWF and insurance group IAG) warns that greenhouse gases need to be cut by 60 percent by 2050 to stabilise global warming. Eighty percent by the end of this century should keep increases of average global temperature within a livable limit.
Late last year, a meeting was held in Buenos Aires to work out what the world should do about climate change after the 2012 expiry of the Kyoto Protocol, with most of the world's governments supporting a new, tougher agreement.
"We need to be conscious of the need for industrialised countries to make larger cuts sooner," WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne said.
"We will need to introduce a monetary cost on the emission of carbon dioxide so that people will think about it before they emit it.
"To move forward we will need to be willing as a nation to set our own target for a major shift downwards in our emissions."
The entering into force of the Kyoto Protocol is the first step to combat climate change internationally. The world must now take another 9 steps to make the Protocol the success that the world needs to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.
Find out more about WWF-Australia's Climate Change Campaign and the international campaign.
