Originally Broadcast December 4, 2002

KYOTO: A CHRONOLOGY

1979
First World Climate Change Conference estimates that a doubling of CO2 will lead to a 1.4-4.5 degree increase in world temperature. (read more about the Conference)

1983
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study states that because of global warming "agricultural conditions will be significantly altered, environmental and economic systems potentially disrupted, and political institutions stressed.” (visit the EPA Global Warming site)

1987
The Montreal Protocol, signed by 57 nations, focuses on reduction of greenhouse gases such as CFCs and leads to almost complete elimination of CFCs by 2000. (read the Montreal Protocol)

1988
Toronto Conference on the Changing Atmosphere, one of the world's first major scientific conferences on climate change, calls it "second only to global nuclear war" and asks for 20% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2005. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established by UN. (read more about the conference)

1990
The IPCC releases its "First Assessment Report," indicating that human-made greenhouse gases are increasing the greenhouse effect.

1992
Rio De Janeiro "Earth Summit" held. Industrialized countries agree to cut CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000. American refusal to make this legally binding forces other nations to make the measure "voluntary". (read about the 1992 Earth Summit by CBC's The National)

1995
The First Conference of the Parties (COP-1) takes place in Berlin. Delegates create a new negotiating process to include greenhouse gas limitation and reduction targets in an international protocol or treaty (read documents from the conference)

In Canada, the National Action Program on Climate Change, developed and accepted by all federal and provincial/territorial energy and environment ministers, directs Canada's efforts towards meeting Rio commitment. (Environment Canada Climate Change)

1997
COP-3 is held in Kyoto, Japan. Following a week and a half of intense negotiations, parties take the historic step of adopting the Kyoto Protocol. Under this treaty, most industrialized nations--including Canada--along with some central European countries agree to legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions between the years 2008 and 2012--this is the Kyoto Protocol, with details of implementation to follow. (download documents related to the Kyoto Protocol from the UN Climate Change site)

1998
Canada signs Kyoto agreement, declaring that it will develop a process to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 6% below 1990 levels. (visit the government of Canada site on Kyoto)

2000
COP-6 meetings in the Netherlands collapse after the U.S. and Europe fail to find agreement on the question of using emissions trading and carbon sinks as credits toward meeting emissions targets.

In October, Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments--except Ontario--approve the National Implementation Strategy on Climate Change and the First National Business Plan as steps toward meeting its Kyoto commitments.

International ministers meet again in mid-July in Bonn, Germany, where they resume negotiating rules of the Kyoto Protocol. Despite opposition from the U.S., countries reach an agreement on rules and agree to pursue ratification by 2002.

Jean Chrétien says Canada will live up to its Kyoto commitments regardless of the U.S. He says Canada is looking for "modifications" in Kyoto to get credit for shipping cleaner energy to the U.S. and for good forest-management practices. (read about Canada's new plan for Kyoto by CBC News Online)

Chretien says he's confident Canada will be able to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change by July next year.

Alberta's opposition to Kyoto grows stronger. Premier Ralph Klein says Kyoto would cost Alberta “trillions”. (read a statement from the government of Alberta)

2002
Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal says he's working to ensure that Canada gets environmental credits in talks for exporting so-called "clean energy".

The debate grows ever more intense--if confusing--for Canadians. The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters estimate that 450,000 jobs could be lost if Kyoto is ratified. An unofficial federal government estimates the cost of Kyoto could be as much as $15-billion over five years. A study commissioned by two environmental groups says that far from crippling the economy, cutting greenhouse gases as called for in the Kyoto protocol would create tens of thousands of jobs and increase household income. (read more about the costs of Kyoto by CBC News Online and read The Cost of Kyoto a CBC National Documentary)

Federal government concedes that much of the detail of Canada's implementation of Kyoto will have to be worked out after ratification, but argues that this is an important first step.

Parliamentary debate begins in Ottawa, with Prime Minister Chretien pushing to get approval for Kyoto ratification by the end of the year.

The Kyoto Accord was officially passed on December 16, 2002.
Canada received several qualifications designed to protect Alberta's oil patch. Read the news story.

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