Question

The major objective of 'Kyoto Protocol' was:

• A. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• B. to reduce pollution by increasing forest cover.
• C. to provide grant-in-aid to the developing nations to control environmental pollution.
• D. to promote sustainable development.

Hint:

Remember Kyoto = Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) reduction target (1997), while Montreal Protocol (1987) = Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS/CFCs) phase-out. Do not mix these up!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Background of the Kyoto Protocol:
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997, and entered into force on 16 February 2005. It is linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Step 2: Core Mandate and Objectives:
The primary operational objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to commit industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets. It targets six key greenhouse gases: Carbon Dioxide ($\text{CO}_2$), Methane ($\text{CH}_4$), Nitrous Oxide ($\text{N}_2\text{O}$), Hydrofluorocarbons ($\text{HFCs}$), Perfluorocarbons ($\text{PFCs}$), and Sulfur Hexafluoride ($\text{SF}_6$).

Step 3: Evaluating the Options:
Option (A) perfectly describes this principal emission-reduction mandate. Although sustainable development (Option D) and ecological conservation are broader goals of the UNFCCC, they are not the specific, legally-binding operational focus of the Kyoto Protocol itself. Forest cover increase (Option B) and financial aid mechanisms (Option C) are merely supplementary tools or sub-strategies rather than the core global objective. Thus, Option (A) is correct.