Kyoto Protocol to continue past 2012: UN

As hopes for any deal on global warming dims at the Cancun meet later this year, United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres on Wednesday made it clear that the Kyoto Protocol will continue post 2012 as a second protocol since it does not have a 'sunset' clause.

"Yes, it (Kyoto Protocol) will continue to exist as a second protocol because it does not have a sunset clause. It does not end," said Figueres, newly-appointed executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Figueres, who is in India ahead of the UN meet on the climate change at Cancun in Mexico, was replying to a query on the fate of the Kyoto Protocol which seeks numerical targets for cuts in emissions by rich nations but does not have any emission caps for developing countries.

"What the governments are negotiating now is the second commitment period.

"But the Kyoto Protocol continue to exist -- whether there is going to be a second commitment period or whether countries want to take all of the elements of the Kyoto Protocol and put them in a different framework that is for them to decide," she said.

The developed nations are pushing for a new treaty other than the Kyoto Protocol that makes major growing economies like India and China to take up the binding GHG emission cuts, a move opposed by the latter citing their need to walk on carbon path for sustainable development.

The UN climate chief also said that though there were not nuch expectations from Cancun but we read it that 'countries are assuming their responsibility, that they're being realistic, that they're being productive, that they're being constructive and that they're counting on very clear outcomes from Cancun.

Figueres put the onus on the governments to decide the timeline for implementation of the agreements they want to give, as it is completely in their hand.

She was also of the opinion that Carbon Development Mechanism market can be worked beyond the Kyoto Protocol framework.

The CDM is one of the 'flexibility' mechanisms in the Kyoto Protocol by allowing the Annex I countries to meet part of their caps using 'Certified Emission Reductions' from green projects in developing nations.

"Should the Kyoto Protocol go into the second period, the CDM would of course the mechanism there. . . but that's not the only possibility for it. . .

"The additional possibility of the CDM is that the CDM or some other market whatever the market they want to call it can also be the part of the broader agreement. . .If the governments want it to be. . ." she said.