The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty adopted in Japan in 1997 at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), entering into force in 2005. Adopting countries legally committed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and admitting therefore to the scientific community conclusion that global warming was happening and that CO₂ emissions produced by humans were the main responsible.

The treaty made the participating countries agree to reduce GHG emissions including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride by 5% in the first period that compassed the years between 2008 and 2012, and 18% between 2013 and 2020 during the second period, known as the Doha Amendment. Due to a lack of support and recognition by countries the Kyoto Protocol didn’t go through the second period and instead was substituted by the Paris Agreement.

Source: UNFCCC