Guyana has accepted the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, joining 19 other countries who have so far ratified the amendment to the United Nations plan for combating global warming by limiting the greenhouse gas output of some rich countries.
The ratification paves the way for Guyana to access funds under the treaty. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that government has taken a decision to accept the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol which was adopted by parties to the Protocol on December 8, 2012. According to the ministry, “the Doha Amendment is considered a valuable part of the momentum for global climate action leading up to 2020 for reduced emission of greenhouse gases.” The treaty now only covers about 15 per cent of global emissions as several developed countries have opted out.
The Kyoto Protocol obliges about 35 industrialised nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions until the end of 2012 but this was extended to 2020 by the Doha Amendment. It is the only legally-binding plan for combating global warming. However, the 1997 treaty has been sapped by the withdrawal of Russia, Japan and Canada and its remaining backers, led by the European Union and Australia, now account for just 15 per cent of world greenhouse gas emissions. The US did not sign on to the Kyoto Protocol.
The Doha Amendment includes new commitments for parties to the Kyoto Protocol who agreed to take on commitments in a second commitment period from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2020, and a revised list of greenhouse gases to be reported on by parties in the second commitment period.
The ministry said that Guyana’s acceptance of the Doha Amendment will not legally bind the country to take any action relating to reduced emissions since the Amendment commits Annex I states, of which Guyana is not a member, to further reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 18 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. “Guyana’s acceptance, however, will exemplify the commitment of the government to fighting climate change by adding to the number of acceptances needed to bring the amendment into force,” the ministry said.
It noted that 19 states have accepted the Doha Amendment to date but Instruments of Acceptance must be received by the United Nations Secretary General from at least three fourths of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, that is, 144 acceptances must be received before the Doha Amendment can come into force. “Accepting the protocol will also pave the way for further access by Guyana to funds under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol,” the ministry said.
It recalled that Guyana participated in the first period of commitment of the Kyoto Protocol which ran from 2008 to 2012. Under the Protocol’s CDM, the Guyana Sugar Corporation benefited from funds provided for the Skeldon Bagasse Cogeneration Project.
The government’s decision comes on the eve of the 20th Meeting of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP 20) which begins in Lima, Peru on December 1, 2014 where the status of the Doha Amendment will be announced.
