Kyoto Protocol enters into force on 16 February 2005: IQNet, through its partners, is ready
to provide validation and verification services of Kyoto mechanisms
16 February 2005 represents an important date and a fundamental step forward in the direction of safeguarding the world’s environment. The 127 countries which have ratified the Kyoto protocol, commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases, which have been linked to global warming. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the most up-to-date scientific research suggests that humanity’s emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases will raise global average temperatures by 1.4 to 5.8 °C by the end of the century. They will also affect weather patterns, water resources, the cycling of the season, ecosystems and extreme climate events.
If the Kyoto protocol will be fully implemented and successful, it is expected to reduce the average global temperature by 0.02 °C to 0.28 °C by the year 2050.
The Kyoto Protocol mechanisms can be summarised as follow:
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1) Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): Industrialised countries pay for projects that cut or avoid emissions in poorer
nations and are awarded credits that can be applied to meeting their own emission targets. The recipient countries benefit
from free infusions of advanced technology that allow their factories or electrical generating plants to operate more
efficiently and hence at lower costs and higher profits. The CDM will be overseen by an executive board. In order to be
certified, a project must be approved by all involved parties, demonstrating a measurable and long term ability to reduce
emissions and promise reductions that would be additional to the ones occurring otherwise.
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2) Joint Implementation (JI): Industrialised countries pay for projects that reduce the emission in other industrialised
countries in order to meet part of their required cuts in greenhouse gas. The sponsoring governments will receive credits
that may be applied to their emission targets; the recipient nations will gain foreign investment and advanced technology
but not credit toward meeting their own emissions caps as they have to do that by themselves. If industrialised countries
have not yet set up approved registries and greenhouse gas inventory systems, they can involve an international oversight -
which could also be a private company - able to certify that emissions are reduced by a certain amount.
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3) Emission Trading (ET): Industrialised countries have agreed to limit emissions to the levels described in the protocol,
but many countries have limits that are set above their current production. These “extra amounts” can be purchased by other
countries on the open market. A country which currently easily meets its targets can sell off its credits to countries that
do not yet meet their targets. This rewards countries that meet their targets and provides financial incentives to others to
do so as soon as possible. In many countries the monitoring and reporting of the emission is assigned to verifiers who are
competent, independent and accredited through the national authority.
The CDM and JI project proposals must be validated and the related greenhouse gas emission reductions must be verified and certified by a body accredited by the CDM International Executive Board of the UNFCCC (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change) and by the Supervisory Committee of UNFCCC.
IQNet is proud to have among its partners the first accredited Body for CDM: JQA. Many other partners are in progress to be accredited at national level for the Emission Trading and at international level for the CDM and JI mechanisms. Once again IQNet, through its partners present in more than 150 countries, is ready to provide validation and verification services on worldwide basis being also a unique reference point for all the Environmental Certification issues.
Dr. Fabio Roversi
IQNet President