Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Under The Kyoto Protocol: The South African Example

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and its contribution to global warming has become an increasing concern to the international community.  Although launched in 1997, the Kyoto Protocol only came into force in February 2005, with the goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally.  This resulted in the establishment of a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) which involves emissions in developing countries such as South Africa, giving them an opportunity to benefit financially when reducing GHG emissions voluntarily. The qualitative research approach used in this study gain inputs from experts in the CDM process in the South African environment so as to examine factors impacting on the viability of these projects.  With the current outlook, this study suggests that there is a relatively high likelihood that the CDM would have the desired effect of reducing GHG emissions from existing South African industry and other developing countries given the incentive to do so.