It just happened that I had to make myself familar with the Kyoto Protocol and it's implications for New Zealand. If you are interested in it, a good resource is at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website: http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Treaties-and-International-Law/03-Treaty-making-process/National-Interest-Analyses/0-Kyoto-Protocol-Part-I.php
It is divided into several parts, it written in plain english and gives a brought insight to the subject.
- Executive Summary
- New Zealand’s obligations under the Protocol
- Effects of entry-into-force of the Protocol for New Zealand
- Summary: Advantages and Disadvantages to New Zealand of the Protocol entering into force for NZ
- Assessment
- Introduction
- The Kyoto Protocol
- Objectives and principles underlying the Protocol
- Reservations to the Protocol
- Date of proposed binding treaty action
- Subsequent amendments to the Protocol, and their likely effects
- Withdrawal or denunciation
- New Zealand’s obligations under the Protocol
- Emissions accounting under the Protocol
- Reasons for New Zealand to become a party to the Protocol
- Measures that could or should be adopted to implement the Protocol
- Measures to implement emissions monitoring, inventory and reporting obligations
- Measures to implement a register of assigned amount of emission units
- Measures for international cooperation including providing assistance to developing countries
- Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet emissions obligations for the first commitment period
- Measures already underway or being developed
- Possible further measures to meet Kyoto obligations
- Direct fiscal costs to New Zealand of compliance with the Protocol
- Fiscal costs independent of greenhouse gas emissions management measures
- Potential fiscal costs related to greenhouse gas emissions management measures
- Costs of administering domestic greenhouse gas management policies
- Economic effects of entry-into-force of the Protocol for New Zealand
- Influence of policy directions on economic effects
- Economic modelling of different domestic policy approaches
- Scenarios modelled
- Scenario modelling results
- Discussion of macroeconomic results
- Discussion of international emissions price
- Sectoral output effects associated with these scenarios
- Effects of other countries’ participation or non-participation in the Protocol
- Business Opportunities
- Economic effects of other strategies that will also reduce emissions
- Economic effects relating to subsequent commitment periods
- Environmental effects of entry-into-force of the Protocol for New Zealand
- Social and cultural effects of entry-into-force of the Protocol for New Zealand
- Consistency with the Treaty of Waitangi
- Other social and cultural effects
- Effects if the Protocol does not enter into force for New Zealand
- Consultations that have been undertaken or are proposed with the community and interested parties in respect of the Protocol
- Summary: Advantages and disadvantages to New Zealand of the Protocol entering into force for New Zealand
- Assessment
- References
- Appendices
- The US National Academy of Sciences
