Emission Limitation and Reduction Commitments (Article 3)

Abstract

The negotiations on quantitative targets, the so-called “quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives” (QELROs), were at the core of the pre-Kyoto negotiating process. Lacking legally binding obligations, the Convention had proven inadequate in bringing about a real change of domestic climate policies in almost all industrialised countries (see Chapter 4). Acknowledging the inadequacy of existing commitments, the Berlin Mandate passed at COP 1 set the stage to establish, for the first time in history, specific, legally binding obligations in the Kyoto Protocol to limit or reduce those greenhouse gases primarily responsible for global warming. The Kyoto Protocol to the FCCC contains, for those industrialised countries listed in Annex B, legally binding, differentiated reduction (or limitation) obligations for a basket of four gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, SF₆) and two groups of fluorinated gases that are supposed to amount to an overall reduction in the commitment period from 2008–2012 of at least 5%.