The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established in 1988 to provide a coordinating body for scientific research, has become the pre-eminent global scientific body behind the formulation of the Kyoto Protocol. It has very successfully assessed, compared and synthesised the available evidence into a risk assessment, underpinning the formation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. Under the UNFCCC, various Conferences of the Parties (known as COP’s) were held, with the Kyoto Protocol being agreed to at COP 3 in 1997. This agreement occurred due to the growing political consensus that a coordinated response to the predicted social, environmental and economic disruption is required.

LULUCF
The definition and implementation of Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) emissions or abatements under the Kyoto Protocol was hotly debated for the next four years, with an agreement (the Marrakesh Accord) finally being reached at COP 7 in 2001. This agreement provided the framework under articles 3.3 and 3.4 of the protocol to include both CO2 sinks and sources from the LULUCF sector when calculating net emissions. Further to this agreement, afforestation and reforestation activities were included as a clean development mechanism (under article 12 of the protocol) for the creation of internationally tradeable carbon credits.

Implementation and further development of the protocol
Public debate over the protocol has predominantly been centred on the 2007—2012 commitment period, but this debate has often obscured the real importance of the protocol. Most importantly after 15 years of negotiation there now exists a framework which the governments of over 93% of the worlds population have either signed or ratified, committing their respective countries to the ongoing process of finding a solution to climate change. 

This process has not been easy, as may be inferred by the refusal of 4 Kyoto signatories, including Australia and America, to ratify their agreements. America has argued that the emission reduction targets under Kyoto are unrealistic and impractical, and both countries fear the effects that ratification would have on international economic competitiveness.

A second opportunity exists for Australia and America to participate in the global response to climate change through negotiations for the second Kyoto commitment period, which under Article 3.9 must commence before the end of 2005. This meeting is scheduled to occur in November-December 2005 and few authors have attempted to predict the directions its decisions will follow.