Kyoto treaty comes into force

The Kyoto Protocol on global warming comes into effect today, seven years after it was agreed.

The treaty, which has been signed by 141 countries across the world, became legally binding at midnight, New York time (05:00 GMT), today. It aims to reduce combined emissions of six major greenhouse gases during the five-year period from 2008 to 2012 to below 1990 levels.

Each country has been set a specific target to meet, according to the pollution levels in its country. For example, the European Union has to cut emissions by 8%, while Japan has to reduce them by 6%. However, the United Nations said that many countries would find achieving the Kyoto targets "a major change".

Speaking in a video message to a celebratory ceremony in the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, where the treaty was negotiated in 1997, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said: "By itself, the Protocol will not save humanity from the dangers of climate change, so let us celebrate today, but let us not be complacent. I call on the world community to be bold, to adhere to the Kyoto Protocol, and to act quickly in taking the next steps. There is no time to lose."

The US and Australia have both refused to sign the treaty. President George W. Bush withdrew support for the Kyoto Protocol in 2001, stating that it would be too expensive to introduce. He also expressed concerns about the fact that large developing countries, such as India and China did not have specific targets to meet on reducing emissions.

The withdrawal of the US threw the future of the Kyoto treaty into jeopardy, because it needed to be ratified by the nations which accounted for 55% of greenhouse gas emissions, in order to become law. According to figures from the US Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre, the US accounts for about 24% of global fossil fuel-related carbon dioxide emissions, which is about twice that of China.

The Kyoto Protocol was only viable, when Russia, which accounts for 17% of global emissions, ratified the treaty in November last year.

However, UN Environment Programme Executive Director, Klaus Toepfer, said that many US states showed support for the treaty. He said: "While the Government of the United States has decided against the Kyoto treaty, many individual states in America are adopting or planning to adopt greenhouse gas reductions in line with the spirit of the Protocol. Many businesses there are also active and keen to join the new emission trading schemes and markets opening up. The government itself is also promoting higher energy efficiency and alternatives like hydrogen and solar."

Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, described the introduction of the treaty as "an historic day for international co-operation". He added: "The UK will be leading international efforts to tackle it through our Presidencies of the G8 and the EU."

Greenpeace activists in the UK marked the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol by attempting to halt oil trading, by storming the International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) in London. Thirty-five activists stormed the building, near Tower Bridge, just before 2pm this afternoon. They attached distress alarms to helium balloons, blew foghorns and handcuffed themselves to the trading pit.

Trading on the floor was suspended for over an hour, but the IPE said that electronic trading had not been disrupted.

It is understood that police detained a number of protestors following the incident.

(KMcA/SP)