The Kyoto Protocol (KP) was negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997, opened for signature on March 16, 1998, and closed on March 15, 1999. The treaty came into force on February 16, 2005. On November 2007, a total of 175 countries and other Governmental agencies have ratified the agreement. Its objective is to reduce Greenhouse gases mainly carbon dioxide that causes climate change from the atmosphere.

The atmosphere around our earth at sea level contains nitrogen (78%) and Oxygen (21%), and Argon, an inert gas (0.9%). The remaining 0.1 per cent is made up of carbon dioxide (0.036%), sulphur dioxide, methane, hydrogen oxides of nitrogen in traces etc. collectively called Greenhouse gases (GHGs). In addition, atmosphere also contains some water vapor depending upon the temperature of the atmosphere, over which we have no control. GHGs are mostly man made, created by burning of fossil fuels like coal in power houses and crude oil products in automobiles and burning of forests.

Everyone today, knows about GHG, GW and resulting climate change. Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of GHGs. One hundred and thirty-seven developing countries have ratified the protocol, including Brazil, China and India, but have no obligation beyond monitoring and reporting emissions, because their contribution to GHGs is small compared to developed countries of the West like the US.

As of January 2008, and running through 2012, signatory countries have to reduce their greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by five per cent below their 1990 levels. The concentration of carbon dioxide is approximately 30 per cent greater than it was in the 18th century, before the industrial revolution. Although carbon dioxide comprises only 0.036 per cent of the air, its warming effect is most significant.

All scientists have stated unequivocally that GW is man-made. But they are not sure about how much and how fast GW still continues as a result of heat-trapping by GHGs. All of them feel that all nations should identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in GHG emissions. American authorities have announced that they would not implement the KP on GW because, the causes of, and solutions to, global climate change are not completely and clearly understood. The economically viable technologies for removing and storing carbon dioxide are not available today.

Climate change will affect and is affecting everyone like in changing agricultural patterns, increasing the frequency and seventy of cyclones, adding to the prevalence of disease around the globe, raising ocean levels to submerge island and coastlines and causing extreme economic disruption. Some of these effects are already there.GW is causing melting of glaciers. The glacier-fed rivers of north India would first swell in summer due to melting of ice in the glacier and then shrink to dangerously low levels in winter for want of water. Global warming has nothing to go with expanding Ozone Hole. A shrinking Ozone hole would not bring down GW. They are two different problems. The freezing temperatures in Delhi, record snowfall in Kashmir and the biting cold in Mumbai over the last few days was not a result of GW.

It is highly doubtful whether KP or any others to follow would succeed in curbing GW and resulting hazards. But it is a good idea and should be pursued by all nations by developing hydrogen technology for automobiles and new methods to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.