Global warming is the increase in the temperatures of the earth’s air surface and the subsequent increase in the water levels that is, oceans and sea levels increase. It is as a result of numerous human activities that emit gasses and prevent the radiation of sunlight back to the atmosphere. Generally, when sunlight reaches the earth’s surface, there is an amount of it that is reflected back to the atmosphere at a higher wavelength; when this happens, the earth’s temperatures are regulated. In cases where the air is polluted by green house emissions then these green house gasses broke the reflected sunlight radiations from reflecting back to the atmosphere, leaving them just at the earth’s surface. This increases the earth’s surface temperature (Union of Concerned Scientists 12). There are numerous policies that have been developed to curb global warming. This paper concentrates on Kyoto protocol that was developed in Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005.
The agreement was entered by 37 industrialized countries and European community. It was developed by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The aim of the protocol was to ensure that the emission of green house gasses was reduced by 5% below their level in 1990 by the end of 2010. The protocol targeted the major greenhouse emitters and developed measures that were to be implemented in the production of a country. The major emitters of green house gasses are the burning of fossil fuels. If each country was to reduce its level of emission then the global warming could be reduced. There are numerous ways that the protocol recommends to be implemented to ensure that its objective of reducing global warming is attained. One of the ways that has been suggested by the protocol is the adoption of clean technology. This is a technology that does not emit green house gases. In other words it discourages the use of fuel in production. Despite the fact that it discourages the use of fuel, it recognizes that some sectors of economy rely on fuel, for example the transport industry, it thus recommends that in such industry efficiency should be embraced. By clean technology it means that industries should use energies like solar and electricity from hydro systems (Kyoto Protocol).
The policy has an upper hand than other developed policies since it is a policy that appreciates that with production there must be some level of pollution but what is important is how the pollution will be managed. It also is for the opinion that if all countries join effort, pioneered by the already developed countries, then it is possible to cure global warming. The start point that the policy takes is advocacy and creating awareness to all nations on the effect of global warming. In the subsequent meeting to discuss the progress of the policy, there has been an analysis of the progress attained and challenges that various countries are facing (Bernstein 221-254).
One of the major challenges that have faced the policy is on implementation. Despite the fact that many countries are signatories to the protocol, they have been slow in implementing. Another challenge that some countries have put in place is that it is a policy that hinders development. This is because implementing clean technology is an expensive exercise. There is also concern that those countries who are not a signatory will take advantage.
Works Cited
Bernstein, Paul et al., “Effects of Restrictions on International Permit Trading: The MS-MRT Model,” in “The Costs of the Kyoto Protocol: A Multi-Model Evaluation,” Energy Journal, Special Issue, 1999, pages 221-56.
“Kyoto Protocol.” The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide. Abington: Helicon, 2009. Credo Reference. Web.
Union of Concerned Scientists. “Global Warming.” Cambridge, MA 02238-910. 2010. Web.