The Kyoto Conference

This is the first time that there has been a concrete case of applying an international model for the regulation of Sustainable Development. 
The 169 countries which assembled signed a protocol that should have an applicative point of reference in internal politics. 
The application of the Kyoto protocol, far from being an acquired result, represents, however, the first concrete model established internationally for the energy policy and the social and political models of the future. 

The Kyoto conference.

The third Conference of the Parties (COP-3) was held in Kyoto, Japan, from the 1st to 10th December. This is the general assembly of the UN-FCCC, to which 169 countries adhere. 
The Conference has elaborated a binding international protocol on the reduction of the emissions of greenhouse gases in the followings essential terms: 
Developed countries (countries of the OECD and Eastern Europe) will have to reduce average annual emissions by 5.2% in comparison to1990 levels. The figure is different for each country (USA -7%, European Union -8%, of which Italy -6,5%, Japan and Canada -6%); 
The calculation of the emissions takes into account all the greenhouse gases considered by the Convention (CO2, methane, nitrogen protoxide, hydro-fluoro-carbons , perfluorinated carbon and sulphur esafluorine ) and the possibility to use the so-called "wells" (e.g. reforesting); 
The reduction of the emissions can done both through internal measures and with some flexible mechanisms (IET- International Emission Trading, JI - Joint Implementation and CDM - Clean Development Mechanism): these mechanisms, called "Kyoto mechanisms", allow the use of the best technical-economic opportunities for reducing emissions and promoting the transfer of very important technologies for a global strategy of sustainable development; 
Developing countries are not required to respect some obligations of reduction; 
The penalties for not respecting the reduction of the emissions are still to be defined; 
The Protocol will go into effect if it is ratified by 55 countries that account for 55% of the total emissions of greenhouse gases. At the moment it seems that the ratification process necessary for the implementation of the Protocol is meeting some difficulties. The UN - FCCC, however, is still trying to implement the Convention according to the activity plan arranged at the COP- 4 in Buenos Aires and, in particular, it is elaborating the rules of implementation of the "Kyoto mechanisms". In the meantime, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is preparing its TAR (Third Assessment Report) on the complex subject, which will be presented in 2001.