The World's First Carbon-Cutting Treaty

Almost 15 years ago, the world gathered in Japan and negotiated the Kyoto Protocol, a landmark international treaty to limit greenhouse gases. The pact was initially considered a success because 37 developed nations agreed to emissions reduction targets. But it did not require developing countries like China and India to adopt similar targets, and as a result, the U.S. refused to ratify the treaty.

As the expiration of the treaty's first round of greenhouse-gas targets draws closer, energyNOW! examined Kyoto's legacy – was it a success or a failure?

"The need to do something on a global basis has never been clearer," said Eileen Claussen, President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. "But the ability to actually get there, well, this is a very difficult period." 

This production contains material provided by the United Nations but the production firm is only responsible for its content.